Matters of the Hearth

Heartfelt thanks to all you who have supported me in making Matters of the Hearth a reality (again!). I will miss it, and all of you, very much.

“Satisfaction comes from God, but to get there you need to eat bread.”

~Rumi

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Perhaps not surprisingly to those who know me, I am planning another migration – this time returning to a beloved community of friends in northeastern Missouri. Apart, of course, from my dear friends and family, this bread club is what I will miss most about Calgary. A heartfelt thanks to all you who have made this dream a reality.

So, for my farewell baking day, this coming Sunday, March 4th, I will be baking the following breads, depending on demand:

• Prairie Loaf $7 ~ I was really happy with the way this turned out last week, and since it is such a beautiful celebration of Alberta, I want to bake it again!
• Currant Oat $7 ~ Because I cannot deny the favourite this perfect breakfast loaf has become
• Sunflower Rye $7 ~ Another hearty and delicious crowd favourite
• Potato Herb $7 ~ Unbelievably light for a whole grain loaf
• Buckwheat Barley $7 ~ Nutty and sweet with the toothsome crunch of kasha
• Raisin Coriander $7~Because it was just so fun and aromatic last week!
• Whole Wheat $6 ~ My personal favourite, becaue it’s just so pure and simple

Please place your orders by Friday night at my email address: katrinagimbel@gmail.com. This is important as I have increasingly been hearing about orders I never received, which is very disappointing – as I’m sure it was for those of you who didn’t get your bread!

“Bread deals with living things, with giving life, with growth, with the seed, the grain that nurtures.

It’s not coincidence that we say bread is the staff of life.”

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I forgot to include the prices in my last post. Whole Wheat is $6, all other loaves are $7.

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This coming Sunday, February 27th I will be baking the following breads, depending on demand:

• Whole Wheat
• Multigrain
• Country Rye
• Prairie Loaf – Barley, oat, and flax, with a touch of Chinook Honey
• Raisin and Coriander – unique and exciting, this is a great loaf for getting creative with – try it in a grilled cheese sandwich!

Please place your orders by Friday night (katrinagimbel@gmail.com).

“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods;

and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.“

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It was just pointed out to me that my last post reads that I will be baking on Monday the 20th. Oops! I will be baking on Sunday (as usual) recipes that celebrate Monday’s holiday – Family Day! So sorry for the confusion.

I will also take this opportunity to clarify that all orders need to be placed by email (katrinagimbel@gmail.com). I think some people were trying to reply to my updates and unfortunately I never received their orders!

“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water,

is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.” ~M.F.K. Fisher

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In celebration of Family Day this coming Monday, February 20th, I will be baking some of my family’s favourite recipes. So, here’s a sampling of beloved loaves over the years, some of which were influenced by years living in California (where walnuts and figs are in abundance), some from our northern European heritage (where rye and potatoes reign supreme!), and some from our good ol’ prairie roots (the pure goodness of wheat!):

• Whole Wheat Sourdough $6
• Walnut Levain $8
• Fig Anise Hazelnut $10
• Sunflower Rye $7
• Potato Herb (made with potatoes from my garden!) $7

Please place your orders by Friday night. I would also like to ask everyone to bring your own bags when picking up bread. As you may have noticed, I have not been providing them anymore – as I am all out! Cloth bags are also perfect for storing loaves of naturally leavened bread.

“How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?” 
~Julia Child

Please note: Due to the cost of some ingredients, I have needed to raise the price of some loaves.

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Bread, oil, and Saint Valentine. Three things that celebrate love, at least in my humble opinion. In honour of the upcoming holiday I will be offering, (in addition to bread), heart-shaped Linzer cookies filled with homemade jam; a classic and simple way to let a special someone know you care. The cookies will be $4 each, individually wrapped with a nice piece of ribbon. Also, let me know if there is a special dessert you would like for the occasion and we can see what we can work out!  (For instance, Tartine’s recipe for lemon cream tarts made in a heart shape, or almost anything that can be baked in a heart shape!)

I will be baking the following breads, depending on demand:

• Whole Wheat
• Buckwheat Barley
• Multigrain
• Currant Oat
• Sunflower Rye

Please place your bread orders by Saturday noon. Cookie and special orders to be placed by Thursday.

“Peace goes into the making of a poem as flour goes into the making of bread.” ~Pablo Neruda

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I’m very happy to announce I will now be baking regularly every Sunday! I’m also delighted to welcome some new bread club members; so glad to have you here!

This coming Sunday, February 5th, I will be baking the following breads, depending on demand.

• Whole Wheat
• Sunflower Rye
• Currant Oat
• Multigrain

Please place your orders by email by Saturday noon. Loaves will be fresh and eager to be picked up in Sunnyside (address given by email upon request) in the early evening on Sunday the 5th.

I would like to add that I am happy to bake treats on request. If you have a sweet tooth and want to satisfy it with wholesome, lovingly created goodies, please let me know and I will likely be only too happy to oblige. Special dietary needs invited!

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” ~Robert Browning

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The Community Food Open House last weekend went superbly, and I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to be a part of it. Thank you to all who came and joined in the fun! There is another great event happening this coming Saturday at the Ant Hill Building in Kensington from 10am until 4pm. Calgary Eats. Please visit http://www.yycfood.com for more details. It looks like a lot of fun, and you may even spot some Matters of the Hearth baked goods there!

I will be baking the following varieties of bread this coming Sunday, January 29th, depending on demand:

(Please send your orders by noon on Saturday, January 28th, to katrinagimbel@gmail.com. I will be in touch to confirm your order and delivery location.)

• Multigrain – a hearty loaf with the nutritious and chewy presence of oat groats, flax seeds, millet, and sunflower seeds
• Buckwheat Barley – a new favourite, it has an earthy sweet flavour, and the pleasant toothsome crunch of kasha
• Flax – get your essential omegas here! This loaf is loaded with Alberta goodness
• Sunflower Rye – Rustic and wholesome, this one makes me nostalgic for Germany
• Whole Wheat – purity – nothing but whole grain flour, water, and sea salt
• Currant Oat – a long-standing favourite, this loaf makes the perfect breakfast toast

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I invite you all to join me at a fun, interesting, and important event this Saturday January 21st at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association. Please see their website for more details: hillurstsunnysidecommunity.com

I hope to see you there!

P.S. I am catering the event… so I have it on good authority (being the authority…) that there will be plenty of yummy and free food!

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