Cooking

NOBLE UNIVERSITY | Cooking

Late Spring/Early Summer

Recently we purchased several sizes of mixing bowls from French pottery maker Poterie Renault. These bowls are a staple in the European homestead and are crafted today as they have been since 1847.

Recently I had a conversation with a customer about a mixing bowl that has been in her family for two generations. She remembered her mother using it for all sorts of things and when the bowl was passed on to her, she made many delectable dishes, bread dough and salads for her family in that same bowl. The bowl will be passed on to her daughter to carry on the tradition.

I mention this because we often forget that family memories and traditions are sometimes built around something as simple as a mixing bowl. With so many items that are disposable today, we run the risk of building those memories. I am the proud owner of several mixing bowls, my favorite being one I bought in 1976 from a store in Ann Arbor. It reminded me of one that my mother had and it has been used for everything from German Potato Salad to Raisin Bread. That bowl was one of my best purchases and just looking at it brings back great memories.

Below is a recipe that was given with Pillsbury flour for Easy-Does-It Yeast Bread at the same time I bought my mixing bowl. I have to admit that my first two tries with bread were thoroughly unsuccessful and my loaves of bread were very brick like. The third try was a charm and for years I made bread weekly in my favorite mixing bowl.

Easy White Bread

2 ½ cups Unbleached or All Purpose Flour

2 packages Red Star Instant Blend Dry Yeast

¼ Cup Sugar

1 tablespoon salt

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off Combine in large mixing bowl, blend.

1 cup water

1 cup milk

¼ cup cooking oil

Heat in saucepan over low heat until very warm (120 degrees)

2 eggs

Add eggs and warm liquid to flour mixture