Baking in the time of the Covid-19 lockdown:
We had foxes roaming the neighbourhood! Most had red fur, and a few had white fur. The foxes were the only part of the lockdown I didn't mind.
Today is 12 April 2023, and I am perusing this blog in search of my recipe for Greek Easter Bread, which I intend to make tomorrow. Easter is just a few days away. But I came across this post and clicked on it because I remembered when I had written it. Look at the date: 4/1/2020. That was the covid lockdown year and actually, it had been mere days since we had entered lockdown in our area (23 March 2020). What a surreal plight! We all did our best to keep busy, to understand what was going on, and to function as normally as possible under the circumstances. But we lived dystopian lives. Friends died, they left us, left the earth. As of this writing, more friends are dying.
What did I do in 2020? I did what the New York Times wrote that everyone else in lockdown was doing: I baked things and cooked things. I read, pulling books from my bookshelves and ordering books online. I thought I was going to write but I didn't, although I tried. Unfortunately, one can't be forced into writing. I got depressed and felt isolated and hoped that when I drove to the supermarket or drove to see a family member (the latter being inadvisable according to the authorities), well, I hoped I was not going to be stopped by the police and asked where I was headed. I remember the police roadblock close to our local hospital ... I remember getting yelled at by a woman for forgetting to wear a mask. I remember how hot it felt to wear a mask and how difficult it was to breathe through it. I remember shopping for masks online, trying to find ones that matched my outfits. True, ridiculous, ridiculous, true, and we all did it, men and women. We were also wearing makeshift masks back then and let's admit it, all our masks were ineffective, which means they were useless, but we were ordered by a loud little fellow who lived in Washington DC, a Dr f something or other, we were ordered by him to wear them. And wear them we did. We obeyed. I saw all sorts of masks: Bandanas were turned into maks ... Fishnet stockings were turned into masks ... Good for Mardi Gras, those masks.
Was I scared? I certainly thought the Covid-19 respiratory virus was one serious virus, but I didn't think it was as lethal as the authorities made it out to be. With good treatment, one could survive it.
I was more numb than anything else. I was in disbelief. I was in emotional pain. And yes, depression was always looming around, although I avoided acknowledging it because if I did, I was certain that living would become too difficult. Let me tell you something: depression knew how to make inroads into my soul whether I acknowledged I was depressed or not. It revealed itself in various ways. I found myself inhabiting an unending science fiction movie that had come to life.
I hope neither I nor anyone else has to live under similar circumstances ever again. We are social creatures and we love freedom. Under oppression, while imprisoned, we change; we become diminished. Life is precious. Hug one another and remember what a gift it is we have, our life. Also, don't forget to love. Give it away, give love. Trust me, you won't run out of it; there will always be more of it inside you. Don't be ashamed or reluctant to show love, don't measure love, don't attach conditions to it, just give it, give love.
Here's the original post with its recipe:
This recipe has a well-deserved cult following, and might I add two more facts: it's a great recipe and it's definitely a recipe for chocoholics. Notice the scant amount of flour as
compared to the chocolate! These brownies are gooey and fudgy!
Whatever I’ve marked as optional is not included in Ms Katharine Hepburn’s
recipe, but I have found that the few extra ingredients that I add give a whole new depth of
flavour and they temper the strong taste of chocolate. If you crave the strong taste of chocolate, leave them out. I cut down on the amount of sugar used but the brownies are still sweet enough! I use 3/4 of a cup, whereas Ms Hepburn liked 1 cup of sugar. Either walnuts or pecans can be used here, but I prefer walnuts (unless I am in the mood for pecans). Slice these brownies into small
pieces — about twenty pieces per recipe — and keep them in the refrigerator; they do taste better cold. They can be
frozen, too!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup good quality Dutch-process cocoa powder such as Guittard or Callebaut
1/2 cup
butter (115 grams or one stick)
1 teaspoon instant coffee (optional)
2 eggs
3/4 cup
sugar
1/4 cup
flour
1/4
teaspoon baking powder (optional)
1 cup
chopped or broken-up walnuts
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional, sometimes I use it, sometimes not)
1/8
teaspoon of salt
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325° Fahrenheit / 160 ° Celsius.
- Line an 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) pan with parchment paper. The brownies will stick and will not be easily removed from the pan without the use of parchment paper. Lightly grease the top of the parchment and set the pan aside.
- Combine flour, nuts, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Bloom the cocoa: Melt the butter and cocoa in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Add the coffee and stir. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer to a large bowl and add the sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and the cinnamon.
- Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture. Mix just until combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes, but do not over-bake; the brownies should be gooey and fudgy. Let cool, then remove from the pan and cut into bars.
- Cut into small pieces because these are rich brownies. I usually get 20 pieces. Place the brownies in the refrigerator. To me, they taste better cold. And yes, these brownies can definitely be frozen.
- Sometimes I add the walnuts on top rather than mix them in the batter. Try it, it certainly makes the brownies look more enticing.
- What is your favourite Katherine Hepburn movie? You can only pick one. What? My favourite? Bringing up Baby. That's the first thing that came to mind, so it must be Bringing up Baby. It's goofy, and she's fabulous in it, although when she eats, she goes for olives, not brownies.
