Baking Together No Matter the Distance

(My daughter's list)

It all started a few weeks ago. I told my oldest daughter (let's call her H) that I was going to the BlogHer Food conference. She asked who would be there and when I told her Shauna from Gluten Free Girl would attend her jaw fell to the floor and she blurted, "You mean I could meet the Gluten Free Girl?" When I said "yes," she began jumping up and down. You see, the book Gluten Free Girl and the Chef had just arrived at our house a few days earlier and H had spent a few hours on the couch thumbing through it. To her, authors are like movie stars.

Fast forward to the conference. H met Shauna and was shy, but thrilled. Then, out of the corner of her eye H spotted Dorie Greenspan. She pulled my arm and quietly said, "Mom, she's the lady who wrote the Baking book." I walked H to the front of the room where Shauna and Dorie were seated. H looked into Dorie's eyes and said, "I love your cookbook." Needless to say, Dorie melted.  She pulled out her camera and snapped a few pictures of my girls.

A few days later, a group gathered at Dolores Park for a gluten-free picnic. Shauna asked H if she bakes. H said not yet. So Shauna told her to start baking and then send pictures of her creations. I didn't realize the spark was ignited in H's mind. As soon as we got home, she ran to find Dorie's book, Baking, and spent over an hour making a list of what she wanted to bake first. When she decided, she proudly walked in the room and presented me her list. I smiled. She's so much like me. She picked the Blackout Cake featured on the cover of the book. She never fails to aim high!

Through Twitter, I told Shauna H was baking the cake on Saturday. Shauna said she, Danny, and Lu would bake a gluten-free version simultaneously. Even though we were hundreds of miles apart, we baked a cake together on Saturday morning. You can read Shauna's account here.

It was interesting for me to step back and let H have the reigns in the kitchen, trying to figure things out on her own. I know every new baker goes through this, but it's been so long since I first learned I'd forgotten many of my initial struggles. The first sentence directed her to, "Adjust the rack to the middle position." H started opening cabinets. I asked her what she was doing and she replied, "Looking for a rack." I realized then that maybe I should stick a bit closer to the kitchen for the morning.

For the next few hours she cracked, mixed, sifted and whisked. We conversed with Shauna over Twitter periodically. Because Shauna was making a gluten-free adaptation, we compared the cakes as we went. Normally when I bake I modify as I go to incorporate whole wheat flours and other unprocessed ingredients, but this time I bought the ingredients listed so H could follow the exact recipe. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience and baked a beautiful, delicious cake!

This process made me realize that even though our family is far away, we can still bake and cook together. If you miss your mom or grandma, call her up and Skype while you make some cookies. Or simply talk on the phone while you and a friend cook a family favorite together. Even though so many of us live far apart from those we love we can bring back cooking together. If you've wanted to try a new way of cooking such as gluten free or dairy free but you've been intimidated to start on your own, find a friend or loved one who's also interested and try together.   

A fantastic book to start with is Gluten Free Girl and the Chef. It's a wonderful collection of restaurant-style recipes that can take your cooking up to a whole new level. Many of the recipes are perfect for a dinner party such as the Roasted Chicken Roulade with Goat Cheese and Arugula, Frisee Salad with Oranges, Almonds and Garlic Dressing, or Smoked Duck Breast Ravioli. If you're looking for simple homespun dishes make sure and try the Parsnip and Celery Root Puree and Crusty Gluten Free Bread. Two of my favorites from this book are Pasta with Anchovies, Lemon and Olives and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Brownies. I wasn't sure if the family would go for the strong flavors of the pasta dish, but they ended up licking the plate. And the brownies? The brownies are to die for! Honestly, it's worth buying this book if only for the brownie recipe. I actually had to hide them in fear of eating the entire pan. (no exaggeration) Another lovely aspect of this book is that not only do you get a gorgeous cookbook, but a beautiful love story laced between the recipes. It's one of those books you want to curl up on the couch and read with a good cup of tea.

I'll be back in a day or two with new recipes to share. Until then, call someone you love and start cooking!