I’ve decided to give my typewriter a place of prominence in our home: on our coffee table. Part aesthetic and part practicality, I think it is a lovely statement of the centrality of words in our world. Many more letters will be written this way, I think. 

A side note about our home: We are moving. But not far. We are selling our condo but are staying the neighbourhood. We have worked so hard to make this area feel like home. We are falling in love with our new little church, we run into more neighbours each day, and we’ve developed a rhythm here in our little neck of the woods. Speaking of woods, we will be living closer to the ravine where Madeleine and I take our daily walks!

Stay tuned about the details of our new digs…

I rescued the last of my basil earlier this week, in anticipation of Vancouver’s trademark downpours. This afternoon will be spent making pesto! I thought I’d share my favourite recipe with you:

Classic Pesto, care of Epicurious.com

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh basil leaves (from about 3 large bunches)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Sardo or Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Combine first 4 ingredients in blender or food processor. Blend until paste forms, stopping often to push down basil. Add both cheeses and salt; blend until smooth. Transfer to small bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Top with 1/2 inch olive oil and chill or freeze for later use.)

Brownie Peanut Butter Cups from Bake or Break 

I’m baking these for our welcome home open house tonight. Come and get ‘em.

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Update: these were a HUGE hit. Also note, they are humungous so half-portions are recommended.

This version uses pecans, mini chocolate chips, flax seed, and 1/2 whole-wheat, 1/2 all-purpose flour.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
(from The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook)

This recipe is from Flo Braker who writes about baking for the newspaper.

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
1 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Adjust the rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the walnuts.

Combine the banana, eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; add to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the loaf comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn the loaf out onto a rack to cool completely.
Slice thinly to serve.

Serves 16

© Christina Crook 2009

…and smiling.

I have been dreaming of whiling away over pots and pans for months now. Four consecutive months of eating out will do that to you. So will reading Barbara Kingsolver’s “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.” For this deprived domestic, it was a combination of both.

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Apple Rhubarb Crisp (adapted from Mama Crook’s recipe)

Equal parts Granny Smith apples and rhubarb, chopped and drizzled with honey

Topping:
1/2 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup butter

Bake and enjoy with vanilla ice cream (or my topping of choice: Island Farm’s raspberry swirl frozen yoghurt)

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I feel a new blog category coming on: Domesticity.