What a strange time we are all living in. The frosty fog that has been hanging over our little mountain almost seems appropriate. We, as so many of you are, have been social distancing ourselves. We’ve been trying to stay isolated as much as possible, while still getting out of the house for a quick grocery shopping excursion or a long hike in the mountains.
Bundling ourselves up in parkas, hats and gloves, and going for a hike seems to be one of the few things we can think of to do outside of our house to entertain ourselves, while getting some fresh air and exercise. The other upside is to have some human contact, at a distance. It’s amazing how a quick wave or “hello” is becoming somewhat comforting as the simplest form of connection.
We have one son visiting us for what has turned out to be the most boring of visits to Boulder that he’ll probably ever have, another son locked down in the South of France, and a daughter in Florida. We worry about all of their safety and health.
Baking has been a source of calming meditation for me. The process of kneading, waiting, baking is a quiet exercise to pass the time while creating something to nourish.
When I lived in London as a teenager, I would ride the tube after school from Knightsbridge to Covent Garden where I would spend the afternoons in dance classes with older, sexier, and very serious professional dancers. In the main hall, one was greeted to a scene of cigarette smoking, leotard and leg warmer clad male and female beautiful bodies lithely hanging across chairs and benches in what appeared to my young eyes to be the coolest club that ever was. As a scrawny and not so talented dancer, I would never be a part of that scene, but it was exciting to skirt the edges of the spectacle that it was.
After class I’d walk to a bakery where they had basket of warm cheesy jalapeno buns that smelled heavenly. Anything with jalapenos in London was rare then as they are obviously known for their biscuits, scones and sweeter breads. I would buy one almost every day and eat it on the train on my way home. Occasionally I’ll have a craving for those buns – I think I’ve done a pretty good job at recreating the flavor and texture of those tasty Covent Garden treats.
- 2 ¾ cups white bread flour (you can also just use 3 cups white bread flour if you’d like)
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ - 2 cups grated sharp cheddar
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- 1 scallion thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1 package yeast
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ - ¾ cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix the honey with ½ cup warm water in a small bowl. Add the olive oil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the flours, 1 cup of the cheese, chives, scallion, jalapeno, salt, pepper, and the yeast. Toss to combine.
- Add the water and honey mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon.
- Pick up some of the dough in your hand and squeeze it together to see if it feels just moist enough to knead. If it’s too dry add a little more water.
- Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
- Rub a bit of olive oil on the dough and place it in a bowl.
- Cover with a lid or foil, and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, cut or pull apart the dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Using your hands, shape each piece into a ball and place in the pan.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Let the dough rise for about 1 hour in a warm spot.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Just before baking, brush the dough with an egg wash made with 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water.
- Place a bit of the remaining cheese on top of each roll, pressing it down slightly in the middle so there is a small dent in the center filled with cheese.
- Sprinkle the top of the rolls with some salt and pepper.
- Place the rolls in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400 and then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool a bit before eating.
Be safe and healthy.
