Baking makes me happy.

It keeps me sane.

And it makes me focus.

It accompanies my memories.

And fills my day with fragrance.

Today, I followed several of those strands- needing to be cheered,

seeking a focus for melancholy and enjoying the trip into the past.

My friend, Joanna at Zeb Bakes shared some of her pictures of the

holiday fare at her home.  And one thing she shared was sausage rolls.

At the very mention, my interest was piqued.

Jordan and I went to visit Luke and Willow when they lived in England

whilst Luke attended Durham University.  We went after Christmas-

Boxing day until the end of the first week in January.  It was wonderful.

We traveled around the north of England and into Scotland- visiting Lindisfarne-

staying at a B and B in the Lakes district- spending a couple of days in Glasgow-

and much more.  We ate at pubs and tea houses, got fish and chips wrapped in

newsprint, and had fried bread and baked beans for breakfast, picked up fresh

baked foods at markets- and snacked on sausage rolls while on a car trip.

Jordan said he figured we stopped at every bakery and used book store (second-

hand book shop) that we came across.  I loved it.

So when I saw the sausage rolls, I asked Joanna for her recipe.  It was actually

her husband’s recipe for flaky pastry and sausage.  I made my own sausage with

bacon, pork, Granny Smith apples, bread crumbs, onions, parley,sage, and salt

and pepper.

 

Then I rolled it up in the pastry( you make pie dough and roll

it out, add a layer of butter, fold it into a small packet, refrigerate and roll it out again.

It becomes a short version of puff pastry.

So- my day ended up much happier.

Happy memories.

An accomplishment I hadn’t anticipated.

And- because I don’t know when enough is enough-

BREAD!!!

 

And more BREAD!

My house smells s0 very good.

We ate the French bread with dinner.

The rest I’m taking to Columbus tomorrow to share in our grandson’s baptism.

Bread is a blessing.