Hello friends! Welcome to the 6th Sunday of 2021. They fly by if we don’t mark em down with out thoughts.
This particular Sunday happens to by my mom’s birthday so I’d like to take a minute to mentally hug Patty and thank her for making me the strong, independent, and appropriately nosey neighbor I am. Mom and I are friends for sure, but I sometimes daydream about what it would have been like to grow up alongside her as a friend because… she’s solid as a rock and so thoughtful and creative. I’m lucky, so lucky to get to call her Mom.
This week at The Bakehouse we wrapped a two week cake photoshoot for Swan’s Down Cake Flour (we made 40someodd cakes to photograph) and we celebrated appropriately with PIZZA made in a RoccBox. Pizza reward is the best reward and that’s just fact. Thank you, Annie (hey Pizza Delicious alum!) for helping me get my dough hydrations correct. I went with a dough at 69% hydration and it was successful! Your math really helped, Annie – thank you! I predict a spring and summer with LOTS OF PIZZA and while nothing beats the stretch of gluten in a long ferment pizza dough I’ll be experimenting with a gluten-free pizza using Caputo Fioreglut Gluten Free Flour next weekend.
The offering this week is below. I wrote this just before dinner so you’ll find a lot of food offerings below. I am hungry. As always, take only what you need.
• I Talked To The Cassandra of the Internet Age. On the inescapable attention economy and the man who predicted it. PS Cassandra: a Trojan priestess of Apollo in Greek mythology cursed to utter true prophecies, but never to be believe. (The New York Times)
• Myanmar, what’s happening and why. I also thought this episode of The Daily explained why it’s all complicated. (BBC and The Daily)
• How Am I? In the words of Dorinda Medley, “Not well, b*+ch.” (The Cut and Bustle)
• Let’s daydream: 5 Affordable Camper Vans For Sale. (Curbed)
• I think Boston’s Tatte Bakery is one of the best bakeries in the country and I admire its owner Tzurit Or so much. We met two years ago, both speaking at an event in Boston. She’s a powerhouse (and truly so funny) – here’s her story. (Tatte Bakery and The Thirty One Percent)
• This week my friend Cara sent me an urgent text about a baked good. Her boyfriend had just made this Almond Tart from Chez Panisse and David Lebovitz. It’s from David’s blog in 2008 so… sort of lost to the cacophony of modern blogging. The recipe itself seems super interesting – essentially making sweetened condensed milk, in a tart shell in the oven. I’m highly interested and making it this week! (David Lebovitz)
• On the ol’ blog this week I brought you a Texas Sheet Cake. A few of you emailed with your own TSC iterations including this chocolate cake, very similar to my sheet cake but slightly different. Listen… I’ll take all the chocolate cake recipes. There is no bad chocolate cake. (Joy the Baker and South Your Mouth)
• I don’t currently have the attention span to read books and I’m just going to let that be ok. Just added to my audiobook listen list is Dolly Parton Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. (Amazon)
• I’ve found my ideal t-shirt. It’s fitted but lot skin tight. Scoop neck. Perfect length sleeve. Soft and comfortable. I’m wearing the grey shirt pictured above. (Everlane)
• Someone had to tell me that it’s Superbowl Sunday and sure… ok. I’m into it for the snacks alone. See: Everything Fried Pickles. (Joy the Baker)
• I ordered some of my very favorite chocolates for girlfriends on Valentine’s Day. Have you tried Asheville’s French Broad Chocolate? It’s fantastic! I ordered the Raspberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nuts just for meeeeee thaaaanks.
• Speaking of raspberries and white chocolate – I’m completely smitten with this whole-food gluten, diary and egg free tart from the great Amy Chaplin: Raspberry and White Chocolate Tart with Cocoa Crust. (Food 52)
This week last year: Let It Be Sunday, 257! (Joy the Baker)
That’s all for this weekend! I hope you have a lovely Sunday!
My love to you.
xo Joy
Brenda
Thank you for posting about the coup in Myanmar! My son finished a 2-year stint in the Peace Corps there last March. We were fortunate to be able to visit twice while he was there. The people in his town were lovely and were a big reason why we went back the second time. It’s so incredibly sad that Myanmar went from a fledgling democracy back to a military dictatorship over night, literally. The majority made their wishes know, only to have them crushed. The military has violently controlled the people in the past and appear to be willing to do so again.
Mariel
I never read all these comments but did this time because I had to see if anyone commented on the best part of this post which is most certainly that dog in the pizza picture! Not that I don’t enjoy the content but ya know the simple things. Glad I read the comments though cause the Fran exchange is classic. Happy Mardi Gras Joy!
joythebaker
We love the classics!
Vallie
I look forward to your “Let it be Sunday” post every week! I love daydreaming about someday going on a camper van trip!
I do feel I have to mention that used to work at Tatte and Tzurit is the meanest employer I have ever worked for. She once made me pay her $5 for making a mistake. She also routinely made fun of my coworker who was deaf in one ear as “broken” and “lucky to work here because no one else would hire her”. I witnessed many other terrible interactions between her and both staff and customers, the point being she is very good at hiding her cruel side.
joythebaker
Oh my gosh Vallie I’m so sorry you had this experience and thank you so much for sharing it here. I, of course, had no idea and my interactions with here were very different. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, really.
Sarah
Love getting these little slices of joy in my inbox. I squealed when you mentioned my very favorite cake from South Your Mouth….meaning you not only got but read my email. Wow. I’m wishing that in the frozen tundra-like conditions in my part of the Flyover Zone, I could gather with friends just to make that cake again….my pants can’t handle me making it without extra people to eat it!
Love the other links….off to dive into them and really enjoy.
samantha campanini
Happy Birthday to your mum!!
Tonya
I think your mom and I are birthday twins, 2/7? Cool, I am sure she is a creative to have such a creative and amazing daughter.
Laura Weismann
I love that T-shirt but they’re not size inclusive :(
Amy
Agree! I used to get excited when someone would hype an Everlane offering until I realized it’s only for petite women (of which I am not). Can’t wait till Everlane decides to offer more sizes as their stuff is really cute!
BugsMom
I love these posts (and your blog) and I love that puppy under the table! Have a great week!
Dottie
I wish that I was eating Everything Fried Pickles today. They look amazing! I do have some Super Bowl-appropriate snacks in mind, so the pickles will have to wait for any Sunday this winter and they will be the main event.
Tatte Bakery’s pastries are so pretty, I’ve been known to take photos of them while in line waiting to place my order. I am lucky to live in the Boston area (she says while grumpily watching wet snow fall for the second time in a week). Although, I cannot wait to travel again and make my way to your neck of the woods.
I also love reading David L.’s blog. I need to check out that tart.
Your Texas sheet cake looks indulgent and delicious – just what we need right now.
Thanks for your Sunday post!
Rebecca
I literally just tried to make break for the first time this morning and I used Bob’s Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Bread because I had it. What a disaster it turned into. Very curious to see you experimenting more, although I am not GF, I’m sure I have a bit of an intolerant to it.
They are opening a Tatte Bakery near me in Arlington, VA. I have never heard of it before, really excited to try it.
Thank you for posting what is going on in Myanmar. Of course China would agree, they have the Royinga Muslims in camps. That whole area is interesting and no one discusses it. The head of Malaysia is Anti-Semitic and no-one discusses that either.
Fran T
Don’t you have someone to proof your blog? So many typos – the funniest this week “sweetened condescend milk”. Is that where you sweetly condescend someone? lol
joythebaker
Thanks Fran! I sure do appreciate you.
Amy
I rarely scroll to read all the comments but I’m glad I did today. Thank you, Joy, for inspiring me to respond to unnecessary criticisms in such a simple, gracious way.
Stephanie
Don’t you have something better to do with your time, Fran? Joy’s blog is the best!
akbright
Feelng a bt stressed, as I work as a Teaching Assistant in an elementary school, and beginning tomorrow, the kiddos will be back at the school. When I am feelng a bit stressed, baking is my calm. So this morning, I notiiced some oranges needing attention, and without a second thought, looked up your recipe for Orange and Dark Chocolate Scones, and proceeded to bake “into the calm”. Thank you for sharing your recipe and your Sunday wth us.
Suzannah Kolbeck
Big fan, but the camper van article was ridiculous. On what planet is under 70K affordable? Seems unusually tone deaf.
joythebaker
That’s why I mentioned we daydream.
Laura Weismann
Agree
Janet
I loved that Joy shared the camper van article. My partner and I dream about buying something life this and it’s giving us ideas to save up for.
Val
I lost and uncle to Covid this week. Thank you for posting these each week. I think it’s safe to say these posts keep us all a little more grounded especially in tougher times. Also, I don’t think my heart could take any more harsh topics at the moment so thanks for the easier reads this week.
Susan
I am so sorry for your loss.
joythebaker
I’m so sorry for you loss, Val. I can only imagine. I’m sending my love to you and your family. Take good care.
Whitney
Feeling very seen in the article about working with no childcare. On a scale of Britney’s head shaving to Lizzo’s Good as Hell, I’m a solid Dorinda “not well, bitch!”
In fun news, my work switched to Office 365 last week, and we now have Housewives gifs in Teams and a small group of us have a housewives chat going.
joythebaker
God bless the little pop culture things.
Rebecca
That pizza oven looks interesting. Have you done meats in there? I’m thinkin’ tandoori chicken for starters!
joythebaker
I haven’t tried meats yet but I was thinking a spatchcock chicken might be worth giving a go!
Dani
I started following back when I could eat all the gluten. Now due to medical reasons I have had to switch to GF. I really appreciate that you are experimenting with GF recipes.
Thanks!
Kate
Oh, Joy! Please check out Dolly’s book from the library. I did. It’s Large, just like Dolly’s personality. The photos are amazing. For my birthday last month, a friend sent me a video of Dolly singing birthday wishes to the tune of 9 to 5. It was so special. Don’t miss Dolly today in a Super Bowl commercial. Love you.
Lora
Good morning,
I was so jealous to see you making pizza outside wearing only a long sleeve t-shirt. We are thigh deep in snow! I can’t wait for this spring so we can fire up our outdoor pizza oven. Please share your hydration technique for making pizza dough. I would so appreciate. Can’t wait to visit your beautiful city.
Sandra Lea
I do hope that you make that almond tart and would love to hear about your experience making it and if you think it’s really that good.
Judy
Oh wow, went back to last year’s post and realized that I had bought both cookbooks based on your recs. Maybe someday I will actually irl get to go to the Mosquito Club, but for now, I can read and remember the Nola area and her food.
Carly
Please keep us posted with any learnings from the gluten free pizza experiments! After 6 years of being gluten free, that’s the only thing I really miss (and definitely have not mastered in gf format). Loved this Sunday update, as always!
Thiana Kitrilakis
I know that you were burned and that now you try and avoid controversial topics and I certainly understand why…perhaps you could have a “let there be Sunday” behind a paywall where you can let loose the way you did in the past. Honestly people need their consumption so light, it’s sad but I loved it when your tough convictions would poke through. The cake recipes…
Melanie
I agree- love this idea! I do like a fluffier week but I enjoy being challenged sometimes, too by the tougher reads.
joythebaker
This is an interesting idea Thiana, I’ll think about it. But I still feel free to say what I want on my blog. Some weeks are just fluffier than others for my own self and sanity. I’ll keep working on these posts in the most authentic way I know how.
Darla
Boy, did I go down a rabbit hole! I delved into your post from last year, and fired off so many recipe emails to my daughters. Lol! They will just shake their heads, and know I’m quite the early bird.
Hello?! Friend pickles. What more is there to say, but Yes Please. We Southerns love fried pickles.
Maybe burgers and fried pickles will be our Valentines treat. Yep. Now that’s the plan.
Oh! Go Kansas City for the Super Bowl win!