On the verge of another road trip

Craig, Louis, Fattie, and I leave on Sunday for a long road trip in my minivan. I lie in bed surrounded by all of my things that I've amassed in the last 8 months of relative stability (which is to say, only 3 long road trips, countless miles and hours commuting between Minnesota and Wisconsin, and two places of residence). I have at least four dresses, a guitar and mandolin that I don't know how to play, the guidebooks I couldn't bear to not have on hand, and clothes for field work, city life, and Arizona....













This is my fourth winter in a row of traveling. In 2008, I hiked and biked across North Carolina (or nearly so). In 2009, I hitchhiked up the west coast. In 2010, I traveled in Southeast Asia. And this year? Craig, Fattie, and I will kick off the New Year by traveling, partly with our friend Louis, to the west coast, south from Portland to San Diego, before heading east to Tucson, Austin, New Orleans, and Atlanta on our way back to work, once more, in North Carolina next spring on the Jessamine project. It's a bondafide almost-circumnavigation of the United States!

Funemployment

I am sitting alone in the kitchen, surrounded by dirty dishes. I am marooned in the house. Staging a sit-in because my car is stuck in the suburbs with my boyfriend until tomorrow, and there is a Buffalo-sized snow storm outside.

Craig and I drove to Madison on Thursday, to see Trampled by Turtles, and meet up with tons of people. If you have not seen Trampled by Turtles live, you need to watch this video, and then figure out when you can go see them live. If you are in the Twin Cities, 3 of the members of TBT are doing a side project as "Dead Man Winter" playing at the Turf Club every Tuesday in December.

So, naturally, I have been listening to Trampled by Turtles, finishing my Teach for America application, and making baguettes and more carrot soup. I used the same carrot soup recipe as in my last post, replacing the herbs with 1 T of fresh grated ginger. I haven't gotten out of my pajamas today. But, I MADE BAGUETTES! And it is a snow day.

If you like following directions, you can get them here. If you like making up things, try my (relatively) lazy adoption:














French baguettes for people without good supplies or patience to look up words:
[Warning: it takes 4 hours & makes 3 baguettes]

1 1/2 c warm water
1 tsp yeast
3 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Mix dough. Add dry ingredients to water, mix with a spatula. Let rest, covered, for 20 minutes.

2. Knead the dough. Dust counter and hands with flour, turn dough onto the counter, and knead for about 10 minutes, adding a little flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Try not to add too much flour, because it makes the dough denser. Stop when the dough is elastic and looses its stickiness.

3. Ferment the dough. This means let it rise, covered in an oiled bowl, until it is 1 1/2 the size, about 45 minutes, at room temperature.

4. On a floured surface, pat the dough into a 6" x 8" rectangle, and fold it over itself like a business letter. Let it rise again, about 25%. This should take 45-60 minutes.

5. After bread has risen, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with a baking sheet inside (or stone if you have one).

6. On a floured counter, cut the dough in thirds, so that each third is a rectangle. Carefully fold each rectangle in half, so that each piece is about the size and shape of a hot dog bun. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

7. Carefully, shape each of the buns into baguettes, the length of your cooking sheet, and about 2" wide. Dust the top of the baguettes with flour and cover, let rise 30-40 minutes, until risen 1 1/2 times in size.

8. Carefully roll the baguettes onto the hot baking sheet, bake until caramel colored for 15-20 minutes.

9. Let cool 5 minutes on a rack.