Monthly Archives: December 2008

Biscuits.

I lived 29 years without biscuits. I have no idea how I made it.

Fortunately, two dear friends of our family saved me from a biscuit-less life when Nico was two, when we stayed at their house for a few weeks in August. Between back-breaking days helping them clear their wild blueberry patch, weed the garden, finish the porch and re-roof the trailer, Carol (a.k.a. “Woods Nana”) ceremoniously plopped Nico into the old metal highchair, strapped on the apron and proceeded to induct him into the world of Woods Nana’s Biscuits. Below, a taste of summer in the backwoods of Brighton, Maine: Baking, eating, fetching water and picking berries.

Welcome, friends, to Oven Season.

This is one of my favorite reasons for loving winter, the season when we joyously bake all the time, reveling in the warmth of the oven (as opposed to April – October, when I would love to sell it back to our landlord).

One of the best ways to celebrate the need for a warm house is to bake something that calls for a very, very hot oven: Pizza!

*The toppings used by my apprentice (above, bottom) are seasonally available – good luck finding grape tomatoes that taste like anything in December. Instead, go for juicy red onions, chorizo, sauteed mushrooms (all above, top). You can use hard parmesan slices, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, olives, garlic, and just about any kind of cheese you can think of. For a base you can use marinara sauce, but sometimes I’ll use pesto sauce or plain olive oil for a totally different taste. There really is no wrong way to make a pizza.

So, remember Rise Up Baking’s cure for cabin fever:

1. Make lots of pizza dough, or email Rise Up Baking to place your order.
2. Call your friends. Tell them to bring what ever they have in their fridge.
3. Turn the oven on, get creative and enjoy!

You can order pizza dough from Rise Up Baking! Email riseupbaking@gmail.com or, if you’re feeling like baking, go to the RECIPES page for a great dough recipe.

Enjoy!
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