"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Baking dreams.....

It has been over 10 years ago since I bought a cookbook. This week, I got three that I had ordered. Two of them I have been looking at for a year before I finally decided to just order them. The third is one that I saw in a shop and loved immediately but it was expensive. I found it on Amazon.de for 5 euros less than it was in the shop so I decided I needed it after all. *grins*


This book is as beautiful inside as it looks like it would be from the cover. It is a book from the Swedish TV cook Leila Lindholm. It contains both sweet and savory recipes and I cannot wait to work my way through the book. So why not start right away?

I gathered my ingredients. I picked a recipe that I had everything in my house already. The recipe is chocolate biscotti with black olives. Yes, olives! I found her recipe very easy to follow. I bake another biscotti recipe I have from 20 years ago when I lived in Sweden. This one surprised me as the dough was wet and sticky just as described in the recipe.

A glimpse of one of the beautiful photographs in the book. Eye candy while your cookies are baking.

And 45 minutes later, these yummy cookies came out of the oven.

So I made myself a cup of espresso this afternoon since I had to taste test my cookies before I can serve them to Jos.

I love baking and used to bake constantly. I got away from it as my health was not well but decided that I want to start baking again when I can. I think you appreciate a home baked cookie or cake more than things you buy in the grocery store.

By chance, there is a baking theme in life this week as I am reading and loving Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks. I have had this book on my shelves for years waiting to be read. I think I put it off because I had read Isabel's Daughter by the same author and found it to be a lukewarm read. This book is nothing like the other and I just love it! I am half way through and already dreading the book ending. I think that is what a good book is made of!

Edit: Now that we have had these cookies tonight, we are sure they would be just as good without the addition of the black olives. They add an extra dimension to the cookie but not really one we felt was needed.

13 comments:

Nancy said...

Well, both the cookies and the book look good. Now I am hearing the story behind the book. It does sound good, and you tell me the cookies are good too. Maybe I will be able to find out for myself when I visit in November. Maybe I need to start a list. LOL.
You cannot be too tired from moving to bake now. Remember that or you will have to eat all American recipes
instead.
Now, you are chopping things for homemade pizza, which also sounds good. Eet smakelijk

Brigitte said...

This is the fourth blog where I see a post with temptations, sweet temptations. That must be conspiracy, lol.

Littlebit said...

Oh my, I cannot begin to imagine the taste with a combination of chocolate and olives, but I love both and that looks yummy! I will have to check out the book you are reading.

Anonymous said...

Hello Heidi,

Happy baking days! I miss baking a lot since I have been away from home for so many months now. I'm going home this weekend and my thoughts have already turned to what I will bake....dare I mention Christmas cake....?

Marie x

Saskia said...

The cookies look good. But I'm not that fond of olives..
I can't wait until I have my new oven. The kitchen is falling apart now. When I tried to open the dishwasher I felt on my bud with the door in my hand...

Linda said...

I love cookbooks and this one looks pretty with good recipes too. Do you know I've never had biscotti but those look yummy...I'd love a little piece right now:).
I'm going to look for Bread Alone at my little book store, if not there the library. Heidi,your cookie,cup of tea and book look charming...perfect for an afternoon of enjoyment...hugs, Linda

Maggie said...

Those cookies look really scrummie Heidi!
I used to bake quite a lot when you children were small and i was at home but got out of the habbit. I look at the cakes in the supermarket and pass them by telling myself i will make one at the weekend, but never seem to get around to it! Looking at your lovely cookies may have just given me the nudge i need this weekend :-)

DonnaTN said...

I can read cookbooks like I do novels. Sometimes I'll look through one a bit just to pick up my mood. I always say I got the baking gene from my maternal grandmother. I'm so lucky that I got here milk glass rolling pin.

Jenny said...

Ohhhh, the biscotti looks absolutely scrumptious. Baking is another one of my love to do things, right after needlework. I will definitely have to look for the recipe. Bread Alone sounds like a good read, so I will have to look for that also. I am now definitely in the chocolate mood so off I go to find some...grins...maybe with some tea and a good read..... Have a good weekend my friend. Hugs!

Simple Home said...

It's too hot to bake here right now, but these look delicious, although I must say that to my knowledge I have never had a cookie with olives in it.
The book sounds wonderful too. You're just like me, a good book is one that I don't want to see end.
Blessings,
Marcia

Celestial Charms said...

I love to look at the cover of cookbooks, especially baking ones. So this was a treat to see a glimpse of the inside too. I bet these cookies were delicious, especially with your espresso.
Have a lovely weekend.
Maureen

Tone said...

what! olives!? ...i thought, my eyes shut wide open... and when I saw your last comment, I thought..puh....ok...olives not needed....
Why do chefs always need to put that special not-like things into new exitement?? I once had smoked salmon in a roll of moose meat as a "starter" - in a fancy restaurant.... I thouht it was awful! - and all the guests around the table as well...ush...! No one ate the starter...embarrasing do you ask me!

We have been at the mountain this weekend, had to finish our new roof on the cottage, and chimney. Lars is so clever!! I did a lot of painting. It was autumn up there - minus five degrees!
So fireplace and candles was perfect!
have a nice week!
tone

Sonja said...

Chocola en olijven...dapper dat je het recept hebt gevolgd! Ben benieuwd naar de smaak (misschien toch zonder de olijven...)