Bread, and other forms of avoidance

I always bake my own bread, can't remember the last time I bought any bread type stuff at the store. But now and then I just don't feel like making a batch, and I look for alternatives. Especially now, with a heat index of 104F. confidently forecast, just in time for the summer solstice, I don't want to put the oven on if I can avoid it.

So, the last couple of weeks have been a comic study in Other Things You Can Have When You Need Bread. Instead of toast for breakfast, oatmeal pancakes, very filling, fun to make, good honey drizzled over. Hot biscuits, some of which you've seen accompanying the sudden soups I made. Coffee cake, which does involve baking, but doesn't seem as oppressive. Regular pancakes, rolled and served with a bit of butter and honey.

Today it's Tibetan Flatbread, a Jacques Pepin recipe, done in less than 15 minutes, on top of the stove, easy, quick, and I'm glad I remembered about it.



A whole lot easier than nan, for some reason, odd since the recipe is rather similar. You can use this as a pizza base, if you like a really sturdy pizza, or in wedges just as bread, to go with whatever you put bread with.

Thinking of nan reminds me that Girija, my great friend from across the street, whom you saw at the exhibit opening, clasping a doll, and family, went to India this week for the summer, to catch up on relatives and friends and the larger population of Mumbai from the sound of it.

She came dashing across to catch me before I left the house, so that as she put it "I need to touch your foot before we leave." This is a huge sign of respect, particularly coming from another adult, and she bent and touched my foot with her hand, which really made me tear up. So I gave her a huge hug to go on her travels with. I will miss her, but she'll be back in August. Then we'll have tea and Indian desserts and I will look at many many pictures of her family,and friends and events, including a big engagement party. This will be fun.