I carried our gallons of almond and cow milk home. I'm trying to build up my muscles, and I figure that carrying milk for a mile or so is an easy way to do that. Ryan and I talked about our days.
I voiced my frustrations about writing, about criticism, about the purpose of being in graduate school.
As always, he calmly listened as I went on my rant.
Then Ryan shared his anxiety about our future, about who he wanted to be and what he wanted to accomplish.
As always, I tried to reassure him that life would work itself out.
And then, as we expected, it began to rain. Not a downpour or even a drizzle, but just a slight misting of moisture that barely made notice on our skin. We stopped talking and began walking. The silence of the cool October evening was like a balm on an inflamed section of skin. We let our thoughts float out of our minds and into the humid air.
We were just two people then; two lovers walking hand in hand with a bag of almond milk swinging between them.
These tiny, sweet rolls were rising on the counter within a few minutes, and I began to chop up a few baby eggplants we picked up from the farmer's market over the weekend.
My house filled with heat and with the smell of savory eggs and seasoned vegetables. The rolls rose and baked to that perfect golden-brown hue. Now I sit in our living room, with a stack of papers to grade in front of me, but at least I have a poppy seed and a cup of tea by my side.
I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did. After we share this meal together, Ryan and I plan to go out on another walk.
*From King Arthur's Flour
1 cup warm water (110-120 degrees)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 TBSP dry active yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 TBSP poppy seeds
2 cups Bread Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1. Pour the water into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir with a whisk until dissolved. Add the brown sugar and 1/2 cup of the bread flour. Let this sit for about 10 minutes, to give the yeast a chance to get started.
2. Stir in the dry milk, the salt, the poppy seeds and 1/2 cup of the bread flour together and add to the yeast mixture. Stir until well combined. Add the rest of the flours, a cup at a time, stirring well after each addition, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Use the dough hook on your stand mixer or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead it, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free spot and let rise until it has doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a floured counter. Roll the dough out into a 24 inch rope. Cut your rope into 24 one-inch pieces. Roll each piece into a round ball and place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. The rolls need to be two inches apart.
5. Spray the rolls with water and allow to rise for about 30 minutes, until they're slightly swollen. Preheat the oven to 400°F while the rolls are rising. Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until well-browned and baked through. Cool on racks.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores