Well, the long hot summer has really ended, and some appropriate baking weather has returned to the Midwest. Here in St. Louis, the summer can be particularly hot and humid, although this summer was relatively bearable. I did suffer through a little bit of bread baking, but anything requiring butter to be in a non-liquid state seemed to be right out of the question.
I'm currently putting together a bread recipe to share with plenty of pictures and few strange cookies thrown in. I'm also preparing a pasta dough, (or. as I like to call it, noodle dough.) But first, I'd like to invite readers to check out another blog I've been involved with, which is also inspired by noodles.
The blog is called Macaroni Salad. Hence the photo of my representation in cookie form of said macaroni salad. I'll confess that I tried to achieve a tubular dimensional effect on the macaroni by scratching into the icing which sometimes yields me desirable effects. Sadly, this time I failed miserably (well, that might be a little harsh.) They tasted great, and got gobbled happily up by myself, Ken, and some friends. I then realized what I was doing right. My main goal is that as I get better at this, the cookies remain appetizing, whether they come out right or wrong. I wanted to redo this batch of Strange Cookies because it didn't seem to fulfill my notion of what I wanted it to be (oh yeah, I forgot to make the celery) but then I came to the conclusion that it was funny enough to me as is. I did make cookies that look like little chunks of hardboiled egg. I think that's funny! And they were delicious to boot! (To get the recipe that inspires the cookies, check out the blog.) That's what the Macaroni Salad blog will also emulate, I hope. The idea that stuff doesn't have to bound in by our ideas, even if they are good ideas, and that the process itself, and the inspiration behind it, are all part of the end product. I hope you enjoy it.
Oh yeah, I've started the pasta recipe post already, and that will be ready soon. I made the cookies at the same time as the Macaroni Salad cookies, and was really pleased with them. I look forward to sharing. I have several things in states of partial readiness for viewing and reading, so I really look forward to this Fall, and the baking to be done.
Don't forget to check out what happens when Ken and I put our noodles together: Macaroni Salad.
