Welcome Fall

Yesterday was such a beautiful fall day that I had to pull out my corduroys, mull some cider and bake a spice cake. I've been racing against time to use up a backlog of dairy products that are nearing expiration, so this was a recipe off the Dannon web site that used plain yogurt. It got that weird, shiny, craterish top, but the cake underneath was moist and cakey. I think I'd add more spice, though. Maybe a little dry mustard or some pepper. The cinnamon I bought from Zingerman's has a subtle undercurrent of heat that would've added some zing in a higher dose, too.

I creamed a stick of butter (1/2 cup), then added a cup of packed brown sugar and creamed it until it was fluffy. Then added an egg and a teaspoon of vanilla, mixed, then a cup of plain yogurt. Mixed again, then stirred in a combination of 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon each cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg and baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. The recipe called for a cup of raisins, but all I had were mixed dried fruit bits (dates, raisins, dried cranberries, dried apples, etc) so I substituted that, which was a popular choice for my raisin-hating husband (I think I liked it better, too). Baked in a 350 degree oven for almost 50 minutes.

I've been examining my relationship to food a little too much lately, I think. What does it mean that it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling to return from a bundled-up walk to the spicy smell of baked goods or to sip hot cider while giving my baby a taste of his first cake?