Våffeldagen

Waffles

According to tradition, today is the feast of the Annunciation, the day on which the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce an unexpected little surprise that was to arrive on Christmas Day…EXACTLY nine months later. Unlike most of the rest of us moms, Mary was apparently not fated to go into premature labor or run weeks past her due date, thus alarming midwives, spouse, and relatives.

In Sweden, this day is celebrated with waffles. You may ask why we celebrate the pregnancy 2000 years ago of a nice small-town Jewish girl with a medieval Dutch cake? Well, as the story goes, in Sweden, the Feast of the Annunciation is called Vårfrudagen, or “Lady Day.” Which is similar enough to Våffeldagen, “Waffle Day,” to cause a little confusion on March 25th and launch an annual tradition. It’s a confusion we are happy to perpetuate in our household, despite its being the middle of Lent. It IS the Annunciation, after all.

CakeRedRosesLauren

This image is available as a high-resolution print on 8.5″ x 11″ archival paper.


Día de los Muertos

First paper cutouts, now dough…you must think I’ve forgotten how to draw.

PanDeMuertos

Today is All Saints Day, also known as Día de los Muertos in Latin American countries. For the last several years our homeschooling Spanish class has celebrated this day together. We set up a table and decorate it with autumn flowers and leaves, papel picado, and photographs and mementos of those who have crossed over (parents, grandparents, pets, anyone beloved). My daughter and I bake a huge anise-flavored Pan de Muerto—a skull surrounded by bones. The mother who teaches Spanish reads aloud a story about the day, written from a child’s point of view. We all sing “Hasta los Muertos Salen a Bailar” (“Even the Dead are Rising Up to Dance”) which is a really hard song to stop singing all day long once you’ve sung a few rounds. Then each family comes to the table, lights a candle, and says a few words about their loved ones, and the festival concludes with a skull-and-bones snack. Although the children devour the bread with enthusiasm, I think they actually appreciate the entire event, especially as each year brings more shared losses into our lives.

Joy of Pancakes

CelestiaCooks

Today is the birthday of Irma Rombauer, author (with her daughter Marion Rombauer Becker) of that kitchen classic, The Joy of Cooking. In her honor, I post, along with this sketch, my family’s favorite whole-grain pancake recipe, a standard here for everyone’s birthday breakfast, as well as for many Saturday mornings. I have tried out quite a few pancake recipes on the gang over the years, but they always insist on this one from good old Joy. Happy Birthday, Irma Rombauer! I hope that wherever you are the food is good.

Joy of Cooking Whole Grain Griddle Cakes

Sift and measure:
3/4 cups whole grain flour
3/4 cups cake flour (but I use unbleached white)
Resift with:
1 tsp salt (but I use just a pinch)
3 T sugar plus 2 T molasses (but I use 3 T brown sugar instead)
1-3/4 tsp baking powder
Beat lightly:
1-2 eggs (depends on egg size)
If you double the recipe (which I ALWAYS do), you can separate the eggs and beat the whites separately.
Mix beaten egg (or yolks) with:
3 T melted butter
1-1/4 cups milk (but I use buttermilk)
Then blend wet and dry ingredients. Fold in stiffly beaten whites gently, if you have reserved them.
If it’s a birthday, I make shaped pancakes (animals, hearts, initials). I use a pointy spoon.
CakeAutLeavesAlanna