Fall Food

I procrastinate by baking, and have done so since high school. I have a sweet tooth, and baking is my way to both satisfy that craving and feel that I have accomplished something tangible (and edible). These are the products of feeling restless and unprepared to sit down and plan lessons.

This pumpkin bread is cooling by shells from the Tajik Sea, which is what people call the Kairakkum Reservoir. Pumpkins are available in abundance here, though they are not always the perfect round and deep-orange pumpkins from home. Many are elongated gourds of a lighter hue, or fat, ridged beasts streaked with green. The only problem with the pumpkin bread was that it doesn't use much pumpkin, and I had to make another batch. This was the second loaf, more successful than the one made before we found nutmeg. 

I have made several apple pies, since there are so many apples here. This quintessentially American recipe travels well to Central Asia, where apples originated, and was happily consumed by folks from Europe. Though usually pies are seen as part of old family traditions, the source of my pie-making is not my parents or grandparents but my camp family. I think of West Virginia as I cut butter into the dough.

Yesterday I had a sudden desire for scones, so this morning I got up and made some, even though I knew we were also making pancakes at 11. Our oven can be temperamental, so I was glad that these turned out beautifully browned, baked all the way through without burning. I ate my first drizzled with raspberry preserves made and given to us by one of Sarah's friends. The others were eaten with the apple syrup I made to go on the pancakes. I had to take their photo with the tree behind them; I have loved the yellows appearing this week.