Cathedral

A season left to itself will always move, however slowly, 
under its own patience, power and volition. (57) 
Consolations by David Whyte

Spring beckons from the window in the arches above my head in the library. Yes, we forgive her tardy arrival for she enshrines the true cathedral of our soul, nature and all her simple joys and full glory.

The first flowers of the year are popping up despite the fact that I haven't cleaned the beds. They work their way through the remaining leaves from last fall's drop to surprise and delight.

Hope multiplies and faith returns. Faith such as this could never be written in a book or found in any structure no matter how ornate. Nothing could be more spiritual than a walk amongst such sacred blooms.

Before you head outdoors today and tomorrow, you can get these rolls started to enjoy for dinner. I continue to immerse myself in making rolls and have a handful of recipes still to come before my culinary interests choose a new path. Join me as the journey continues.

Honey Spelt Rolls

½ cup warm (110º F) water

⅓ cup honey

2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

¼ cup 2% or whole milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2+ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups spelt flour

¼ cup dry buttermilk powder

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1. In a small bowl, combine water, ⅓ cup honey, and yeast. Set aside until mixture becomes frothy, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. In another small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Set aside.
3. In the large bowl of a standing mixer, combine 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spelt flour, buttermilk powder, and salt. Fold in yeast and egg mixtures.
4. Knead with the mixer, using the dough hook, on medium-low speed, about 5 to 8 minutes. If dough is sticky, add up to an additional ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, kneading after each addition until dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
5. Place dough in a large buttered bowl. Cover bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
6. Butter two 9-inch pie plates. Divide dough into 16 equal-size pieces. On a cutting board, cup your hand over 1 dough piece; roll firmly against the board to form a smooth ball. Place one ball in center of each pie plate. Roll and evenly arrange another 7 balls around each center ball, evenly spacing them. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm spot until balls touch and fill pie plate, about 45 to 60 minutes.
7. Whisk together 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Lightly brush mixture over top of rolls.
8. Bake in a 375ºF oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Let cool slightly in pie plates for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and break apart for serving.

Yield: 16 rolls

Spring

Linda Pastan

Just as we lose hope
she ambles in,
a late guest
dragging her hem
of wildflowers,
her torn
veil of mist,
of light rain,
blowing
her dandelion
breath
in our ears;
and we forgive her,
turning from
chilly winter
ways,
we throw off
our faithful
sweaters
and open
our arms.

Feedback

Over the years, I have had to work on giving feedback appropriately, either positive or negative, in a variety of situations. As a quiet person, learning to give voice to an experience has taken me time. However, if the feedback is constructive, I have come to realize how important it can be for both the person giving voice to the feedback as well as the person receiving it.

Nowadays, feedback is everywhere: customer feedback, student feedback, employee feedback, etc. Somehow, so much of it fails to be constructive and may even venture into destructive instead. Rather, than holding someone accountable for performance or offering suggestions for improvement, the feedback can miss the mark completely or be misguided and downright inappropriate.

At the university, the request for student feedback on courses and professors is now standard practice and yet may offer up little of value as this video demonstrates (as well as all the others that follow -- you can keep viewing videos in this vain for some time). In the blogosphere, many bloggers turn off the comment option on their posts so that they can maintain some distance from feedback that provides little insight into their work and its reception. I get it. The effort involved and vulnerability of putting yourself out there is significant. 

The problem is that when we turn off comments, we turn off the negativity but lose the opportunity to hear positive and constructive feedback as well. Nonetheless, the difficulty remains: how do you hear the lauding, learning comments without focusing on and feeling crushed by the words that belittle, make negative assumptions, and dig at personhood? One mean and bullying comment can overshadow everything else said in response to someone's efforts.

Two things come to mind, First, words are powerful. Social media is powerful. Harnessing the power of words and social media for good multiplies its power to benefit both individuals and community. Second, a bit more kindness never hurts nor does a bit more listening. Feedback given kindly and in the midst of earnest, open dialogue can only move communication in a positive direction for both parties.

Perhaps, we can all just stop and think about the sounds we make with words and language and otherwise. Do we enlighten, inspire, invigorate? Or, break apart, destroy, diminish? As you ponder and give yourself feedback on your own communication with the world, you can chew on one of these -- another roll recipe to add to the recipe index.

PS: Thank you, dear reader, for feedback that continues to spur me on here in front of the computer, in the kitchen and garden, and at the table. My gratitude runs deep.

Muffin Pan Rolls

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup 2% or whole milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

2 eggs, beaten

¾ to 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1.      Heat milk, butter, and sugar to 180ºF. Stir and set aside to cool to 115ºF.

2.      Stir in yeast and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Combine 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer.

3.      Combine 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer.

4.      Add yeast mixture and eggs to flour mixture; stir to combine.

5.      Knead with the mixer, using the dough hook, on medium speed. Add 1 tablespoon of additional unbleached all-purpose flour at a time to the bowl until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 8 to 10 minutes.

6.      Grease a large bowl with olive oil and place dough inside. Cover bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

7.      Grease a muffin pan with butter. Divide dough into 12 equal-size pieces. On a cutting board, cup your hand over 1 dough piece; roll firmly against the board to form a smooth ball. Place in muffin cup. Repeat with remaining pieces.

8.      Let rise until 2 inches above pan, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

9.      Bake in a 400ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until light brown. Let cool slightly in pan, remove, and butter tops.

Yield: 12 rolls