Hello! Welcome to my stress baking adventure.
This crazy world we live in can be a little overwhelming at times. I would love to be one of those rich girls that can use retail therapy to get through this shit, but let's be honest, I am a broke millennial living with my parents trying to figure my shit out. So, I am utilizing my mother's OCD corona prepping measures to make as much bread as I want.
One thing i've learned over a very tumultuous past year is that cooking and baking delicious food can be so comforting for both you, the chef, and your loved ones who get to enjoy the fruits of your stress baking adventures. I've been cooking and baking my entire life, in other words my mother has shaped me into the ideal housewife from day one (Thanks Molly), so baking to deal with the stress in my life came pretty damn naturally. With all the recent events in the world I hope that my adventures in stress baking bring you some joy and possibly even inspire you to cook and bake for the ones you love.
Pantry Staples to have on hand at all times:
All Purpose Flour (AP Flour) - My personal favorite is King Arthur Flour, you can find it at pretty much any grocery.
Butter (salted and unsalted) - Stock up on good quality butter, it will keep in your freezer forever. I only buy Kerrygold Butter, I promise it's worth the price, and usually goes on sale at Whole Foods.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO [s/o Rachel Ray]) - I like to keep a high end flavorful EVOO on hand but also buy the bulk bottles of Whole Foods 365 brand for everyday cooking.
Active Dry Yeast - I keep a glass jar of Fleischmann's in my freezer at all times. Fun fact if a recipe calls for one packet its just 2 & 1/4 tsp.
Granulated Sugar - I don't have much of a preference here, but please for the love of whatever god you believe in don't buy fake sugars, like stevia, spelnda, etc. Your body cannot process that nastyness properly. If you really want an alternative go with coconut sugar.
Eggs - Most of the year I buy eggs directly from the farmers market. Not only do I love supporting the local farmers, but I also appreciate the freshness of these eggs. In colder months (or during quarantine) I purchase free range organic eggs from the grocery. WHITE EGGS ARE NOT NATURAL, THEY COME FROM TORTURED CHICKENS.
Frozen Fruit - Buy it fresh, let it ripen, slice it, freeze it, use it. Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches, etc...
A fully stocked spice cabinet - I cannot emphasize the importance of a full spice cabinet, not only for cooking, but also for baking. I highly recommend Penzey's Spices. They have everything and if you call and ask for them to set you up, they will help a bitch out. Plus they're just an amazing company that's doing amazing things. Stay tuned for a full tour of my spice cabinet and what I consider essential.
Where to find recipes:
NYT Cooking - If you don't have a New York Times subscription, get one. If you do, you rock, download the NYT cooking app. It has soo many amazing recipes, my personal favorite contributor is Alison Roman who I also consider my guru.
Bon Appetite - Also an amazing subscription to have, but their Youtube videos are enough to go off of. I watch them religiously and am constantly inspired to try new and fun things. Yes I am in love with Andy Baraghani.
The dusty old cookbooks your mom refuses to get rid of - My mother is a bit of a hoarder, but this is one of the many areas where I benefit from it. We have every recipe from my extended family dating back to before my great grandparents immigrated to America. The handwriting, the stains, the recipes themselves are amazing and the history of them adds an extra touch.
Pinterest - I have actually found some gems on Pinterest. I highly recommend avoiding the ones that are targeted towards weight-loss, bc they are purposely cutting out flavor so they can say it's "no-fat" or "low-cal" or some other bullshit. Get your veggies, don't stuff your face, and go on a walk, You'll be fine.
Love, Elsa
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