Michael Pollan, Bread, and Cake

Some of my boules!  Aren't they cute?

Today is bread day!  This means I wake up at 6 and put together 10 batches of dough, which takes me about 3 hours.  I don't know why it takes me so long...I'm going to have to figure out a way of shortening that process.  Because that's only the beginning.  About 6 hours after that, I have to shape the dough, let it rise again, and bake it.  The journey ends with me cleaning up the kitchen, absolutely worn out, surrounded by 30-40 crackly-crusted loaves of sourdough bread, at 10:00 PM.  All in all a good day.  I threw in some mould washing, cheese pricing, and a lot of  singing to the Rent soundtrack while I was alone in the cheese house.  It was intense.  

Last night I made a Gâteau au Citron using a recipe from Orangette.  A Gâteau au Citron is a French style yogurt cake with lemon.  It's nothing fancy, but it was really delicious.  

Gâteau au Citron, adapted from Orangette

1/2 cup plain soy yogurt (or regular yogurt)

1 cup Sucanat (or granulated sugar, or any kind of granulated sweetener.  Sucanat is unrefined cane sugar and therefore somewhat better for you)

3 large eggs (I actually used eggs, because they come from the chickens here that run around all day)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp powdered ginger

1/2 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9 inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl, mix together yogurt, sugar, and eggs.  Add flour, baking powder, and zest and stir until just combined.  Then add oil.  It'll seem like the oil will never combine, but keep stirring and it'll become a smooth batter.  Pour into pan and slide into the oven.  

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  DON'T over bake, or I will punch you in the nose.

Let cool on rack for 20 minutes, and then turn out onto a rack.

This cake, we have found, is good with whipped cream and berries, or by itself with a glass of rice milk.  Or with peanut butter.  For breakfast or dessert.  Anyway, it's versatile and totally worth making.  I bet you could use sour cream instead of yogurt.  Just a thought.  

Right now, I am reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan.  You've probably heard of this book.  Or his last book, In Defense of Food.  I really think that everyone should read it, especially if you're reading this blog.  I  think Americans needs to be educated about food and what they're putting into their bodies.  This book explains what the hell is going on in this country in term of food, and demonstrates where and why agriculture, big corporations, and the government intersect.  Read it...right now.