This time of year always arrives with bane and blessing for me. The gray, cold days are hard on everyone, and it seems that we all start moving more slowly. Yet, as soon as it’s just cold enough, we also keep a fire going in our wood stove and have a pot of tea always under the cozy. There’s something so special about a wood fire on any day, but especially on a day that’s dreary outside. Most mornings here find children slowly getting out of bed and pulling up a chair to be close to the fire. Sometimes they have books in hand, sometimes they just gaze into it for a little while. But it warms my heart to see them snuggled together by the fire as the day is beginning.
This week I’m making a special sourdough that feels like the thing for the changing weather. A friend requested this quite a while back, and I’ve been playing with different recipes to find just the right mix of grains. It’s a sourdough loaf made with freshly milled whole wheat flours, tart dried cranberries, and toasted pecans. Friends, this is an absolute delight! I made two loaves earlier this week, and the first was gone as soon as I sliced it. Toasted, with good butter, it will be a fantastic way to brighten your day.
I have a budding photographer in the family who has graciously offered to take bread photos for me! Thanks to a friend who is loaning her a very nice camera to try, she has been photographing anything that catches her eye this week. She spent some time deciding how she would stage the bread, then took it to where the light was best. I think she did a great job!
My house sourdough is available every week, and is a wonderful bread to have on hand. I make every loaf by hand from start to finish, and the freshly-milled flour is a flavor boost like none other. All of my sourdough is long-fermented, which adds not only to the flavor but also to its digestibility. If you have the job of making stuffing for Thanksgiving, you’ll want a loaf of this! Pick up one for stuffing, and one for post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches and you’ll be all set to celebrate.
Orders can be placed at hillsdalehearth.com, and pickup is either at my home or Hillsdale College (Kendall 413) on Thursday afternoon. Please indicate your preferred pickup place when you order. Payment is by cash, check, or cashapp when you pick up, or by credit card when you order.