Lunchbox Liz

2007 has come in like a lion, but even as I write this I think that perhaps it is a lamb in lion’s clothing. Last year definitely had it share of roars and although I don’t like to wish my time away I’m happy to pay 2006 adieu. For all the things I couldn’t seem to get right last year, this year is looking up. Although there have been some odd events, too. Such as an when an acquaintance claimed that I look exactly like Ben Franklin. How is that for an ego booster?

One new development is my husband was tested for gluten allergies and discovered that his hunch was right--he has gluten sensitivity. This means that he needs to avoid wheat, barley, and rye, and maybe he can get on top of his allergies. For me it is an opportunity to finally learn how to bake in this high-altitude environment I call home. More than a decade ago I worked on weekends at a restaurant called the Virginian and they paid for me to complete a pastry certification with a woman who studied at the Cordon Bleu. (This is at a time when I thought I wanted to go to cooking school. That is until I read an article in the New York Times that listed chef as the third most stressful job—below brain surgeon, but above scaffolding worker.) I build up a lucrative bank of work baking bread and pastries for area restaurants, but when I moved to the west and nothing I learned here worked very well--cakes were dry, pastries were dense, and bread didn’t rise. I took a job at a bakery and the cooks all sneered. Kitchen staff can be very competitive. So instead of retraining myself I gave it up and went to work with schizophrenics. Now I have to tackle the job head one again. I’ve signed up for a gluten free cooking class. In the meantime I think I’ll start with a recipe I saw in the paper. I can at least practice all of my dough shaping skills.

Play Dough
(From the Reporter Herald, Febuary, 5, 2007 “Homeroom” section)

1/2 cup kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
Liquid food coloring

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except the food coloring. Stir until well mixed, then add food coloring a few drops at a time until desired color is reached. The mixture will start out soupy. Set the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the mixture begins to clump, dry and gets difficult to move the spoon through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the dough to a dry work surface. When the dough has cooled to the touch, knead until smooth and cool. To store, refrigerate the dough in plastic bags. Makes 2 cups.