tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21275625493646309172009-10-30T20:43:09.559-07:00A chronicle of one baker's perpetual sugar highCpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-42782265439690329392009-10-30T20:42:00.000-07:002009-10-30T20:43:09.229-07:00

Please visit peaceloveagave.com, and thanks for reading!

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-5831818633463966462009-10-09T12:04:00.000-07:002009-10-09T12:31:34.510-07:00

My new blog, Peace Love Agave, will be up and running soon. It will, of course, be a continuation of my celebration of baking, and will center around healthful and delicious desserts. I'm thinking this will be up around the beginning of November. See you soon!

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-86227707780293258842009-09-26T19:04:00.000-07:002009-09-26T19:13:51.508-07:00

I cannot fully remember the first time I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies, or the first mixing bowl I ever used in the kitchen, but I do know that I've been baking for at least half of my life. I've felt that every step of the way has been a learning experience, which was the impetus for creating this record of recipes and stories, and over the two years, I've made massive leaps as a baker.

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-55852506412661635822009-09-17T13:01:00.000-07:002009-09-17T13:04:17.996-07:00

A friend of mine is gluten-sensitive, and although she has been able to eat certain forms of gluten with minimal side effects, on a trial-and-error basis, she explains that she feels her best when she goes off gluten altogether. Though to do so requires a larger amount of diligence on her part, and despite the fact that some wheat-based foods don't sit too badly with her system, she explains that

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-4783406032769727112009-09-07T19:34:00.000-07:002009-09-07T19:45:39.094-07:00

I know that I will miss the warm summer days and the sweet fruits that were in such abundance over the course of the past few months, but autumn has begun here in the Pacific Northwest, and I could not be happier. This Labor Day weekend was chilly, blustery, overcast, and slightly damp, but I, along with many others I asked, could not be happier with the change of season. The days here have been

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-71879702837513306152009-08-31T19:48:00.001-07:002009-08-31T19:58:58.851-07:00

As I've mentioned many times, a major goal of my baking endeavors is to share what I make with as many people as possible. This weekend, I was given the perfect venue for such promotion of my personal baking brand, and it was amazing.Not far from Seattle is a set of secluded islands called the San Juans. I've been fortunate enough to spend a good deal of my Pacific Northwest time exploring San

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-11872557317091765972009-08-26T08:07:00.000-07:002009-08-26T08:11:19.056-07:00

Not long ago my boyfriend and I were invited to dinner at a friend's house, and as was expected, the feast that we enjoyed was full of fresh, local, flavorful ingredients. Our hosts are remarkable gourmets, and so I was not surprised when, as we were chatting before the meal, the dessert was casually explained as “a grilled fig dish with thyme and Gorgonzola that we've been dying to try.” I

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-42436493581519044922009-08-21T11:20:00.000-07:002009-08-21T11:25:46.509-07:00

There are time when I see a recipe that, for some reason, grabs my attention and will not let go until I finally just make it. This is only troublesome when I do not have any occasion to make something like a pie or a cake, since I'm not sure what I would do with a whole dessert sitting on my counter top (other than eat the whole thing myself, of course). So I decided that my co-workers would get

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-83806093187020053812009-08-18T21:17:00.000-07:002009-08-18T21:20:49.790-07:00

There are many mix-ins that one can add to a drop cookie recipe: chocolate chips are the first to come to mind, in a variety of cacao levels, then there are raisins and coconut and peanut butter chips and small candies and toffee bits and dried cranberry. Yet, I had not come across any recipes (that come to mind, at least) that called for dried cherries. Then I found this one, and I was initially

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-13529006219255094432009-08-12T08:54:00.000-07:002009-08-12T09:02:56.484-07:00

I have a bit of a problem with to-do lists. The issue is not that I am forgetting important tasks or appointments, or that I never know what needs to be done around the apartment or picked up from the store. It is hardly that my life is not managed; the problem lies on the opposite spectrum, in that I feel, at times, that my life is micro-managed. I have task lists for absolutely everything,

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-8764126242565302072009-08-02T21:51:00.000-07:002009-08-02T21:57:57.628-07:00

On a warm summer night, at a backyard party or barbeque, sometimes the least appealing thing on which to end the evening is a dessert that is dripping with chocolate or butter, heavy enough to capsize a rowboat. For these occasions, I find fruit desserts much more appealing; although I can never get enough of cobblers and crisps, I wanted to try something a bit different (and slightly more

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-15969089452697805802009-07-29T08:05:00.000-07:002009-07-29T08:15:16.620-07:00

Despite the rising heat here in Seattle, my baking has also been on the upswing; with a few new cookbooks on my shelf – The New Laurel's Kitchen, Bob's Red Mill Baking Book – and some new ideas about my baking philosophy (don't laugh – like anything else, baking can have a philosophy. And I've been working on mine), I've found it impossible not to be in the kitchen, trying something new out. I'm

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-48041225745035580602009-07-24T07:38:00.000-07:002009-07-24T07:52:37.971-07:00

After the explosion of fresh, fragrant, utterly perfect strawberries last month, I had nearly (but not quite, of course) exhausted myself of eating them. But now that raspberries are the crop du jour, I find myself replacing the strawberries in my diet with these berries, and the result is just as lovely and yummy.At the market, I'm able to buy raspberries by the half-flat, and I've been busy

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-75766829582991343032009-07-16T08:59:00.000-07:002009-07-16T09:03:14.458-07:00

When I saw this recipe for Honey Cookies in my Complete Cookie cookbook, I knew I would want to try it. Under the description, it was stated that these cookies are ideal for making ice cream sandwiches, and although that is not what I personally did, after tasting these, I agree that these would make for one super swell ice cream sandwich. I could see these pairing well with a creamy French

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-87839804174685722302009-07-13T18:27:00.000-07:002009-07-13T18:33:25.797-07:00

Whenever I'm given an invitation to a party, my mind quickly wanders to the possibilities of the type of food I can bring; if it is a dinner party, then what dessert can I make? If it is a brunch, then what dessert can I make? If I'm going to a child's birthday party, then what dessert can I make?Although, like anyone else, I love a nourishing, filling, and delicious meal, I generally am more

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-69065520791207411042009-07-11T13:29:00.000-07:002009-07-11T13:36:07.961-07:00

I've become quite a fan of Amaranth flour. Amaranth is an ancient Aztec grain that comes from an annual related to spinach and swiss chard, high starch content, and rich in protein, iron, and calcium. It works best when combined with other flours, as it can have an overly grainy texture on its own; I discovered this while experimenting with Amaranth pancakes.I thought that this would be the

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-10096171085161652012009-07-07T08:30:00.000-07:002009-07-08T19:16:01.123-07:00

I don't think I would have necessarily sought out a variety of gluten-free recipes on my own; after all, my body and my diet are both very gluten-friendly. But when I was given a gift of flours for my birthday, I realized what a wide world of baking there is beyond the “unbleached white” or even “whole-wheat pastry flour.” Using alternative grains is an absolute art in baking, and a very

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-14736877877991072232009-07-04T17:31:00.000-07:002009-07-04T17:47:40.474-07:00

I recently mentioned how my muffin baking is sparse and slightly erratic, but after my fantastic strawberry muffin success, I'm falling more in love with muffins. What I especially like about homemade muffins is the amount of control I have over the ingredients, and therefore, the taste and health quotient. I'm not a fan of the jumbo bakery muffins, loaded with butter or oil, and I've never

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-47779633190161545952009-07-01T07:44:00.000-07:002009-07-01T07:55:40.541-07:00

This past Sunday was my birthday, and I celebrated in one of the most joyful ways I know how: I baked, and then shared my dessert with good friends.Most people want to enjoy their favorite cake on their birthday, whether it be a basic vanilla with vanilla icing, a complex Italian specialty, a festive ice cream cake, and any other cake one can imagine. No matter what kind of bakery you frequent,

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-47558762678908394632009-06-26T09:56:00.000-07:002009-06-26T10:15:22.095-07:00

I have one particular go-to muffin recipe that I discovered about a year ago and have subsequently enjoyed through all months of the year. They're blueberry muffins, calling for frozen blueberries, which are available at the store whenever the mood to purchase them strikes my fancy. Because I don't bake muffins very often, I've never been inspired to find a recipe that takes advantage of fresh

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-68062164578704192762009-06-21T07:48:00.000-07:002009-06-21T08:48:29.911-07:00

It will take an exorbitant, inhuman amount of rhubarb this summer for me to tire of the wondrous desserts that utilize this tart, delicious seasonal vegetable. Already, I've sampled several crumbles and crisps and cobblers whose defining ingredient is the rhubarb, and with each taste, I only grow hungrier for it. However, I knew that there must be something out there for rhubarb besides the

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-89508163967717297982009-06-09T08:36:00.000-07:002009-06-09T08:43:20.720-07:00

There's definitely something to be said about basing one's meals around what is in stock at the nearby Farmer's Market. This is, of course, how one eats the most flavorful foods, the most nutritious produce, and the most local ingredients that the community currently offers. Thanks to this form of food shopping, I'm now a big fan of the delicious combination of rhubarb and strawberry. Rhubarb is

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-84770072721750531122009-06-04T10:17:00.000-07:002009-06-04T10:21:31.224-07:00

The S'more season is just about upon us, and in preparation, the grocery stores have erected their massive displays of marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars, all in bright packaging and delightful towers that just scream "summertime snacks!". It's difficult not to walk by and not be tempted by the nostalgic bags of jet-puffed sugar that were an ever-present element of summer camp-outs

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-53422312290087487042009-06-01T09:45:00.000-07:002009-06-01T09:46:47.704-07:00

Like any respectable quaint New England town, mine had an apple orchard nearby: the pick-your-own kind that boasted acres of fields that were filled with meticulously lined apple trees of every variety. There was a large converted barn that became the orchard store, selling apples by the bushel, homemade apple pies, and sticks of red and green rock candy. Signs were posted with charts and

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2127562549364630917.post-73297532025554453492009-05-26T20:43:00.000-07:002009-05-26T21:09:54.264-07:00

In our country, every day, we practice what multitudes of workers call “coffee breaks,” where highly caffeinated drinks are often accompanied with sugary pastries such as doughnuts and croissants. Generally, these are short social breaks in between working hours, dressed up with a substantial amount of ritual. Being neither a coffee drinker nor a lover of fried dough, I've never been much for the

Cpolchowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04571988605417552332noreply@blogger.com0