When in Doubt: Bake Bread.

It's something I can't get enough of. Baking in general is a love of mine. At the risk of sounding Type A, I like feeling productive, I like to see finish products, I like detail, and I like perfection ;). That doesn't sound type A, does it? Anyway, this has lead to lots of baking of the years. Lots of chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, Christmas cookies, Thanksgiving cobblers and pies, Birthday cakes galore, and breads. The bread obsession started with my grandmother's banana bread. When I go through Banana bread phases (totally normal for a 27 year old single girl in Manhattan, right?) I'm a mini factory. Basically if you've ever said hi to me on the street you get a loaf. Breads are perfect because they can be sent so easily. They don't break, crumble or smush. So when I had repeat recipients to bestow a gift on I had to expand my bread horizons. I now have a favorite curry zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, and apple bread. If I know you and your sad, sick or passed a test you get a loaf of bread. This week My grandmother fell, my younger sister is getting close to her marathon and a best friend had celebratory news. So guess what I decided it was time for? BREAD. And I turned to my blogging friends for something new and fall-ish like my pumpkin. I found this Pear Bread care of Bakeorbreak.com. I wish I could tell you if its a success or not but it is baking away in my oven as we speak (err.. I write). We'll have to ask Grandmom next week :).

The Print above is care of my very favorite fruit and vegetable artist Patricia Curtan. In fact, its thanks to the beauties on her website that I drool over often AND the beautiful one on my wall (best Christmas present ever), that I'm debating a botany drawing class at the Bronx Botanical Garden. You might recognize her from the fabulous Alice Waters and her Chez Panisse cookbooks.