Mom is Just a Nickname

I forgot about Paella!!!! What I was thinking??? I wonder what else I’ve forgotten as I went through the alphabet.

Especially in the cold winter months in the Great White North (as I fondly call anything North of Florida), there isn’t much better than having a pot of stew simmering on the stove all day and a loaf of bread baking in the oven. The savory smells delight your senses, and the warmth from the oven wrap around you like a cozy blanket.

It’s been pretty cool down here in Florida, lately, so I have been making more soups, stews and bread. I even tried to make my own sourdough starter, but honestly, it scared me. For one thing, it wasn’t warm enough anywhere in the house to convince it to ‘ferment’ properly. I searched and searched for a spot with some warmth, but even the top of my refrigerator was cool to the touch! I finally gave up and dumped the smelly concoction out. I’ll try again in the summer, when the house is on the warm side, I told Toph.

I’ve had real San Francisco Sourdough once, when my parents brought it back from a trip to California. It is, hands down, the best sourdough I have ever had! Sure, places around here make sourdough, but it is NOTHING compared to the the bread from San Francisco. Toph was telling J about how there’s some special bacteria or organism in the air there that gives it that famous tang.

Although the versions around here don’t compare to that San Fran bread, some of them get awfully close. Certainly close enough to appease my appetite. If I feel like making bread at home, I’ll stick with any of the other recipes I’ve got that don’t involve milk and yogurt fermenting in a warm place!