I was sitting around checking my email updates from The Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism ( Don’t ask ) when a friend stopped by on her way to a weekend in the mountains.
This friend likes to talk politics — not boyfriends, hiking — not shopping, so I never mind when she stops in on her way through town. She often spends her weekends in the mountains west of here, a place some Washingtonians call “ The Country”.
Do you have a friend who always like to bring food to your house when they comes over to spend a few hours?
I do.
Does your friend know how to bake?
Mine doesn’t.
If I remember correctly the last time it was banana bread, and yes there were previous episodes. I don’t bake but I do eat, and though no culinary expert I knew there was a key ingredient missing from that bread which caused the center part to congeal unpleasantly. I cut this large piece of bread, took one bite, and realized even prolonged mastication would not make easy the swallowing of the chunky tasteless piece of bread. Having the baker sitting right across from me chatting pleasantly didn’t help. I believe I gagged part of it down.
The offering this time was another bread made with jalapeños and olives. The result was similar. We hike together often, and I have brought loaves of jalapeños and olive bread on our hikes, so knowing it is a staple of mine it was a really thoughtful of her. I just have to learn some avoidance techniques and possible buy her a baking book for her birthday.
peace and good banana bread
mmmmmmmm Birdy Num Nums* Love Banana Bread — very nice Comfort Food when warmed +
slathered in Butter*
was Crisco Lard the missing ingredient??
I don’t bake either so I wouldn’t know “what ” exactly was missing — just for sure that “something” was. ;0
So does your friend realise her baking is a bit iffy, or does she chomp it down like it is the best thing since well ‘sliced banana bread’?
The thing is she actually eats it like there is nothing wrong with it, this has been the case in all instances.
ah… they do say it tastes nicer when you make it yourself. I guess it must be true.
I take it you don’t bake either. ;)
Bread with jalapeños and olives SOUNDS great.
It is great when purchased at the bakery or the market down the road from where I live.
It’s great when hiking or taking long walks with dogs.
That’s what I was thinking, Doug.
Although my thought was a bit more explicit… something along the lines of “eeeeewwwww.”
It is really good when baked properly — honest.
We had to avoid my mothers baking as much as possible. When I was younger my mother spent hours baking some kind of special German Christmas cookie which tasted like cardboard and pepper. She was furious when no one ate them, so she ate them all herself. It’s funny how i can remember that incident.
She never, to my knowledge, made them again.
My mother is not much of a baker either though her mother is a spectacular cook. My mom’s avegan though so she does have one or two specialties.
I have a friend like that myself…I tasted a piece of cake that she made that tasted like sponge with icing on it…I told her that it was the worse thing I tasted and asked her if she forgot to put something in it…she looked at me like I punched her in the face, then laughed her ass off…
Some people don’t have the gift of baking; the best thing you can do for them is tell them…
I would tell her if I thought she’d take it well. I think she things she is really good at it. I’m such a wimp.
“The Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism” ? That alone would make food taste bad.
I don’t think I can blame the nasty taste in the journal this time.
I don’t rally know why I get those email updates from that journal, or why I haven’t bothered to unsubscribe.
I love me some jalapeno bread …
Yes, it sounds like a baking book would definitely be in order for her birthday.
My favorite bread . I may even have to learn how to make it.
I went through the books stage but they didn’t save me. I’m a horrible baker. I threw in the towel years ago. I make great salads, soups, stews, vegetable dishes and other items that don’t require much creativity but when it comes to baking I can follow all the instructions to the letter and still turn out a questionable product.
If I didn’t identify so strongly with your friend then I couldn’t decide who I feel most sorry for. You or her? The poor thing is still trying … lol … :P
I know what you mean. I can make a couple of things and I don’t venture much out of my comfort zone.
I’m seriously such a good cook I find it hard to tolerate the creations of others.
Baking is a more instinctive activity — cooking a more instructive activitly. I am pretty good at baking but I think you have to do it a lot to sharpen the instincts.
People can learn to cook, and cook well but even good cooks can’t always be good bakers.
I believe you’re right G my friend. You got to come home and bake me something it looks like awhile before I get to the beach.
Chef Marco has a great cooking style: just add stuff until you think there’s enough of it in.
I guess it has something to do with good taste.…or is it taste buds?
I love this post.
I have my friends pretty much down to a science in their respective food categories. Most of them abuse my love for being in the kitchen and cooking. I rarely mind though, it’s my pleasure to whip up dishes and watch them salivate. It’s my one small control factor in the group, lol. I use it when I want to make the outing decision.
I do have one friend, however, who likes to bring me food. I keep him a secret from my other friends and cheat on them with him. It’s amazing what good culinary skills will do for a relationship!
If I had a few good friends who cooked well I’d probably take advantage as well. I have only one I’d give an A.
I think I need new friends.
yummo !! banana bread.…my favourite apart from real bananas of course :)
I don’t ‘bake’ either Cooper but I know a very very good gourmet food shop..so I pretend and cheat sometimes ;)
great post !!
I use one of tow shops for my baked goods, I figure it’s safer to serve good food than to risk serving really bad food. I don’t believe I’ve ever fooled anyone though.
I love banana bread. I had a banana nut muffin today at the airport and would be quite sad if I had to choke it down. Poor you.
I like it when it tastes good. I have higher hopes for my next serving of banana bread.
It’s why I have my favorite bakery. My bakery is a few miles away.
In high school there was this one mother who used to bring “home made“cookies to all the sporting events, can remember what team soccer or whatever,everyone always taking about how good she was to do all the baking, she never disputed that claim. One day someone saw her husband picking up cookies at the bakery, she apparently had been getting them there all along.
Everyone needs to have a bakery they use for those times. The problem with some of the best bakery’s around here is they close so early.