February 17, 2013
-
whereupon I bake bread
Family isn’t always the people on the family tree.
On Valentine’s Day, I got a gift I didn’t expect. Wouldn’t expect. Never imagined it even to expect it. It wasn’t a Valentine’s gift at all, that just was the day of delivery. I know a wonderful woman, an interesting woman, an astoundingly brave and generous woman. I first met her, actually I have no idea how I first met her, but I think it had to do with sewing. I’ve been doing alterations for her for years. There are times when I think she shops just to get me things to hem. Over these years, she has ended up hearing stuff, because she works some wiles on me to get me to talk. She’s heard my gripes about church stuff, family stuff, school stuff. I’ve had a lot of gripes over the years. I swear that she opened that gate for me (probably shopped just so I could release emotions). For a long while it seemed pretty one-sided, but I think maybe it really isn’t any more. I know her daughter very well and have done things for her grandchildren and have occasionally sat with her as she recovered from one of her bazillion back surgeries. However, I completely feel like she has done much more for me than I have done for her.
She was very supportive of my grad school thing. And I knew she wanted to give me a graduation gift. I figured I had no choice- it was going to happen. The last time she mentioned it, when we were fitting her dress for her son’s wedding, the talk was of a Barnes and Noble gift card. I was groovy with that. If I had to get an unnecessary gift, I could accept a gift card for books (and coffee).
Well, Thursday she asked me to stop by if I was out and about. I was, so I did. She walked with me out to her car, opened the trunk, and said the box in the trunk was for me. Chin hit pavement. Because this is what was in the box.
The mothership of all mixers. She gave me a freaking Kitchenaid mixer. The Enterprise. (Don’t you think it looks a little like Star Trek? maybe Bake Trek? nevermind) I just looked at her. With my mouth hanging open. And I cried, boys and girls. Cried like a baby. I’m crying again. Because what do you say to a person who cares enough about you to buy you something so fine.
Yes, I’ve wanted one. For years. But couldn’t justify the expense. Other priorities and all.
To celebrate my new domesticity, I have become one with bread. Yesterday I made bricks.
Well, not bricks but very short bread, because yesterday I had trouble reading recipes. Today I made this beautiful thing. It’s Kale bread. And everyone likes it. Also I made butter. Homemade butter and warm kale bread was the closest thing to heaven.
Tomorrow I must make cookies for small people. Then I need to figure out something to do with The Enterprise that isn’t baking. And I need to figure out how to say thank you.
Comments (48)
Beam me up Scottie! After I’ve eaten my fill of homemade bread.
Oh yum and this is amazing. Enjoy!!
@PlatotheSmurf - we are very full and happy here. and well kaled for the evening.
@Grannys_Place - nummy.
Oh, wonderful! The Enterprise looks fabulous for culinary adventuring.
I’m glad you and she are in each other’s lives.
Definitely looks like the enterprise. Wow. I asked my mom if she wanted one of those and she actually said no. Weird.
Bread is awesome. I want to make it again. Kale bread? As in, with the green stuff? Also, homemade butter is beyond my skills probably.
@leaflesstree - butter= throw cream in the blender (or in this case mixer) and let it mix until stuff whips out all over the kitchen. oh, maybe that part isn’t necessary. just what happened to me.
@lanney - many adventures for sure. my family liked dinner too. it’s been a good day for the domestic goddess. now i have to go sew some more. and then i’m going to hammer.
You’re just all kinds of talented.
To borrow the parlance of an earlier time: That thing is just bitchen! How nice to have a friend who would give you such a thing, and to have such a thing. And baking bread, well… ain’t nuthin’ quite so grounding as making bread. It reminds you of your place in the grand scheme of things.
I got lazy and didn’t bake any bread this weekend, but have a strong feeling that I will by mid-week. It needs doin’. Not because we’re out, but because I need to be reminded of my place in the grand scheme of things.
This is a wonderful and amazing gift. WOW! Bake Trek…..cooking where you’ve never cooked before.
Whoa…… fancy schamancy. I’m weeping along with you over the generosity of your friend. Very sweet indeed.
There is no better bread than fresh baked bread. I suppose the more often you make it the better you will get to be.
I think a mixer is also good for making pizza bread dough.After it is done by the “enterprise” then you could either spin it flat like a true pizza artist or press it into a pizza like shape.
Most people are too busy to get great gifts. Looks like that lady did a lot of study on your habits to think of this great gift.
That is so nice
I love my Kitchen Aid and still use it even though I don’t do stuff with flour anymore. I am so happy for you. Blessings abound
She is indeed a friend of cosmic proportions! I bet a loaf or two of bread and some homemade butter would be a gret start to a thank-you!
What a wonderful gift, from a lovely lady, to a lovely lady.
I am very happy for you.
@murisopsis - that was the plan with the bread baking this weekend. but the bricks are imperfect and the kale bread is TOO perfect.
and she’s away until tuesday anyhow. so it would need to be fresher anyhow.
flour everywhere.
@epeemom - i am really messy.
@Shining_Garnet - i walked around the box for 2 days because i couldn’t believe it was real.
@PPhilip - bread is the best thing. i love the kneading and the rising and the smelling of it baking. and the eating. i like that too. she did do a very good study. apparently spouseman was in on it. and she got exactly the color i would have picked too. (not that i would have been unappreciative of any color at all)
@armnatmom - stunning, isn’t it? and there are attachments available too. so much stuff i can do. wowza.
@C_L_O_G - WOW is right.
@HappierHeathen - you’re so right about that. i might have to think on some creative words to say about bread. or something. oh golly. sundried tomato bread. or roasted garlic bread. i think i might go a little bread crazy for a little while.
@lanney - or i could just sit here and do nothing.
how so very nice of her
it’s a great gift. have fun
@Bricker59 - thanks, thom. i wonder if bread could take a week of transit? probably not. sigh.
@bonmots - thanks. i’m still stunned by it.
That’s fabulous. And they make attachments for them. I love attachments.
@promisesunshine - Both sun dried tomato and roasted garlic breads are good. Both together, too. With some rosemary and/or basil in either is good, just don’t get too heavy handed with it. And jalapeno cheese bread, or milder green chile cheese bread. Mmmm…
That settles it: I’m making green chile and cheese with sun dried tomato sourdough this week. See whatcha did there? You’re sneaky!
This post is just so adorable it’s great =D
I am so pleased that she valued the friendship enough to do this for you. What a great gift! Now give her some bread and homemade butter. She will think she has died and gone to heaven! Smiles…I love it when life works out this way.
I love my kitchen aid! I have the pasta attachment and Emily adores making pasta with me!
@trivial_lover - the pasta attachment has already been put on my mother’s day list. so excited!
@winniezpoo - i’m still smiling.
@nov_way - :)
@HappierHeathen - oh my golly. yea. i see what i did there- got you to make me drool again. i should get a rosemary plant. yes, indeed.
Wow wow! There are so many options that aren’t baking. What to do, what to do…
dang! Can I say that I am incredibly jealous? Happy for you, of course! But dang – I’m jealous!! I have wanted one of those for decades, literally. I had the choice of a Kitchen Aid or “good” china dishes (like in a package deal from David Weis) as a wedding gift when I married my first ex-husband. Needless to say, I did not choose wisely. Enjoy your Enterprise and all of its productions! And if you ever have leftovers…….
@BubblesLarue25 - you remembered your password!! yay! and you may have some of my goodies. the kale bread is a religious experience.
@Thatslifekid - so excited!!
@promisesunshine - I’m thinkin’ yours was a sympathetic response because I was drooling first. Not that I know much of anything for sure.
Your friend rocks!
@vexations - i know, right?
@HappierHeathen - soon you will know your place in the grand scheme of things.
What a mixer that is! I baked some bread over the weekend, but I had to beat and punch the dough down myself. Oh, well. I took out some of my frustrations!
Holy hell that is a BEAUTIFUL mixer!!!! It is lovely. You are lovely.
You are blessed! And a freakin’ domestic goddess! LOL! Aren’t surprises wonderful??? Enjoy!!
@TheBlondNextDoor - i had to punch and knead- which is the best part. i would marry my mixer. it is that wonderful
@ordinarybutloud - i’m gonna be floating for a while in the glory of my beautiful mixer. i have to make cookies tonight. isn’t that wonderful?!
@songoftheheart - i feel very blessed. and i’m not even going to think that i don’t deserve it (which goes without saying really). mojo restoration via appliances.
Those are the best kind of gifts. Enjoy.
That’s an amazing machine right there. Congratulations!
I had a pleasant moment of mental activity when I misread an early comment as “Bean me up, Scottie!” I’m still basking…
@Roadkill_Spatula - bean.
@ZSA_MD - thank you. yes.
OH MY!!! Home made bread. Looking for good airfare right this very minute. That loaf looks positively YUMMY & I can just imagine how good it was. Still warm out of the oven with REAL butter & honey or jam. OK, somebody hand me a towel, I’m drooling over here. Guess I’ll have to settle for a Thomas’s English Muffin. *sigh…
What a wonderful gift!!! I’ve wanted one for years, too. (sigh) Have you noticed a lot of the newer recipes just *assume* you have one? Enjoy your marvelous mixer!
@MzSilver - so good. i’ll try to save you a slice.
@suzyQ_darnit - i hadn’t noticed that. but it is outrageous to assume that everyone has one. they are obscenely expensive. it would have been a very long time before i spoiled myself to buy one. a very, very, very long time.
@promisesunshine – Maybe it’s just that I see a LOT of recipes on Pinterest, and for all I know, they have originated from a site dedicated to the Holy Grail of mixers!
@suzyQ_darnit - oh. pinterest. that explains it.
i love this post! it is interesting, sweet, funny, and beautiful – ALL without mentioning abortion, god is dead/god is alive, fake drama, obama drama, am i skinny enough drama…. kitchen aide appliances will last you until your children take ownership of it way down the road. the perfect gift for your friend is a creation you make with the new toy. live long and prosper.
@Composing_Life - thank you. you forgot to mention guns.
thanks for your visit.
awesome! I recieved the gift of a chocolate dessert a month for a year from a (very) good friend…yeah, nothing says THANKS like chocolate.
xxxooo
@SandraErickson - that is an epic gift. now i need some chocolate.
@promisesunshine - It was one of my all time favorite gifts, for sure. Your mixer is pretty damned wonderful, too. Home made bread is the bomb.