It being Valentines Day, this is a post about love. There are no chocolates or hearts in this story, no romance or champagne. It's about some bread and a six year old boy and a virus. Sounds unpromising no?
Anyway, here it is. I made this bread yesterday for Fin's lunch. Nick was away in London and we had nothing in the house. I dropped him at school, peddled home, threw this bread together and cycled back with a wholesome lunch all wrapped in brown paper. I stood outside his class out of sight for a moment and watched him giggling over his work with a little shiny haired girl before heading home again.
Ten minutes after I got home, the school called to say that Fin had been sick, so back I went to pick up a pale quiet boy, who insisted he could cycle, no taxi please. I unpacked his untouched lunch.
Fin tossed and turned through the long afternoon until he finally fell asleep, tiny in my huge bed, with the fairy lights on, clutching piggy. I sat there for a while, drinking him in. Long black lashes lay heavy on his pink cheeks, a comforting thumb stuck in his mouth. I remembered that for all his chutzpah, he was still a baby, my baby.
This morning he was up with the lark, smiling and bouncing, all restored to health. I felt less perky and struggled to surface from the long broken night I'd just had. Fin rattled downstairs and reappeared in the doorway with a glass of water, asking could he do anything for me? I sat on the edge of the bed as he helped me on with my socks like an old lady.
Downstairs, he presented me with a heart sticker and pointed to his 'How Do I Feel?' chart, it was set to 'happy'. We decided that some toast was in order to celebrate his recovery and sat companionably munching. Chatting about this and that; glad to have this stolen day together. Waiting for Daddy to come home and complete us.
Quick Quick! Poppy Seed Bread
This makes a very small loaf, double the quantities if you want a larger slice and cook for extra time.
Double line the inside of a small loaf tin or butter and flour it. Preheat the oven to 180C fan assisted, 200C if not.
Whisk the following together in a bowl until frothy.
100ml vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3 tsp honey (or 2 tbs of agave syrup)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Sift these dry ingredients into the bowl.
2oz sorghum flour
2oz white teff flour
1 oz maize flour
1 oz ground almonds
2oz brazil nut meal (or Brazils ground fine)
tbs poppy seeds
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Sprinkle over the juice of half a lemon and 150ml soda water (plain water will do) and stir everything gently until mixed. Scrape into the loaf tin, level the surface and bake for 25-30 minutes until springy and deep golden brown on top. If you like a crisper crust, take the loaf out of the tin and give an extra 5 minutes in the oven.
Cool on a rack and eat when cool. Slice and freeze any you don't eat there and then, to toast for breakfast.
Anyway, here it is. I made this bread yesterday for Fin's lunch. Nick was away in London and we had nothing in the house. I dropped him at school, peddled home, threw this bread together and cycled back with a wholesome lunch all wrapped in brown paper. I stood outside his class out of sight for a moment and watched him giggling over his work with a little shiny haired girl before heading home again.
Ten minutes after I got home, the school called to say that Fin had been sick, so back I went to pick up a pale quiet boy, who insisted he could cycle, no taxi please. I unpacked his untouched lunch.
Fin tossed and turned through the long afternoon until he finally fell asleep, tiny in my huge bed, with the fairy lights on, clutching piggy. I sat there for a while, drinking him in. Long black lashes lay heavy on his pink cheeks, a comforting thumb stuck in his mouth. I remembered that for all his chutzpah, he was still a baby, my baby.
This morning he was up with the lark, smiling and bouncing, all restored to health. I felt less perky and struggled to surface from the long broken night I'd just had. Fin rattled downstairs and reappeared in the doorway with a glass of water, asking could he do anything for me? I sat on the edge of the bed as he helped me on with my socks like an old lady.
Downstairs, he presented me with a heart sticker and pointed to his 'How Do I Feel?' chart, it was set to 'happy'. We decided that some toast was in order to celebrate his recovery and sat companionably munching. Chatting about this and that; glad to have this stolen day together. Waiting for Daddy to come home and complete us.
Quick Quick! Poppy Seed Bread
This makes a very small loaf, double the quantities if you want a larger slice and cook for extra time.
Double line the inside of a small loaf tin or butter and flour it. Preheat the oven to 180C fan assisted, 200C if not.
Whisk the following together in a bowl until frothy.
100ml vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3 tsp honey (or 2 tbs of agave syrup)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Sift these dry ingredients into the bowl.
2oz sorghum flour
2oz white teff flour
1 oz maize flour
1 oz ground almonds
2oz brazil nut meal (or Brazils ground fine)
tbs poppy seeds
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Sprinkle over the juice of half a lemon and 150ml soda water (plain water will do) and stir everything gently until mixed. Scrape into the loaf tin, level the surface and bake for 25-30 minutes until springy and deep golden brown on top. If you like a crisper crust, take the loaf out of the tin and give an extra 5 minutes in the oven.
Cool on a rack and eat when cool. Slice and freeze any you don't eat there and then, to toast for breakfast.
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11 comments:
What a sweet, touching story. Glad he is feeling better!
Lovely story. I do have a weakness for poppy seed loaf, sometimes with a bit of lemon icing, always with a nice cup of tea.
I love the word pictures you paint of your family life. So sweet. I'm glad Fin is feeling better. It's wonderful that they bounce back so fast isn't it?
Lovely post.
xoxo
Gretchen, Annemarie and Gabi,
Thankyou for your lovely words. Fin is all better and added, 'loved' to his 'how do I feel?' chart this morning. We are stealing another day together for him to 'recover' properly.
x x x
A lovely, heartwarming tale. I don't blame you for 'stealing' another day together... Sounds positively blissful. Particularly when you've got that delicious-looking cake to munch, too! I love poppy seed cakes, but have never made one, stupidly. With this recipe to hand, I might finally try!
Just wanted to point out that this recipe is for a bread not cake - it is very slightly sweet, but definately a quick bread - not a cake.
If you want cake, substitute the same weight of butter for the oil and increase the sweetener - honey or agave syrup.
x x x x
Hooray for pedal power--it takes serious willpower to bike when you're feeling out-of-sorts. Kudos to Fin for his strength in the face of illness.
Ah, gotcha. *Makes note to self to read more carefully next time*
;)
Naomi,
I hope you and Fin are feeling better soon. Your bread recipe sounds simply delightful.
Sheltie Girl @ Gluten A Go Go
Hi Naomi,
I have tagged you for a meme. Please visit my blog for details.
Thanks,
katie
http://appleandspice.blogspot.com/2008/02/meme-about-me.html
You are a wonderful writer. Your word pictures are incredible. Touching story! I find your baking, etc. very intriguing being a bit of a food chemist myself. :-)
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