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Cranberry Pear Galette

Everybody has their favorite go to procrastination activity...cleaning, paying bills, matching socks...  Me?  I bake.  I had deleted about 20 opening sentences to this blog before I started to think about dessert, the bowl of ripe pears attracting fruit flies on my counter and the big bag of fresh cranberries in my fridge.

Fresh Dried Shell Beans

David and I have the best visits with my brother Sam and his family, when we just drop in on them. They live and farm in Underwood, Washington. Sam spreads a vibe of pleasant productivity and there is a pattern of work, chatter and eating that feels nourishing to be around. Last weekend when we dropped by Sam was busy shelling beans from his garden. His patio was covered with wire racks full of different kinds of fresh dried shell beans.

Time for Pie

Last night I baked my first apple pie of the fall because my mother, and bakery founder, Gwen Bassetti made her annual trip to town yesterday with a truckload of her big bumpy "Basssetti" apples. Grand Central Bakers will use these unique apples in pies, tarts and cakes but I could not resist taking a few home to make dessert.

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Good Eggs

I don't care which came first, I'm just glad we have eggs. I love eggs and while I have suffered through the dismal pallor of conventionally raised eggs, I feel blessed that I have a steady supply of "good eggs". I buy the same eggs from Mark and Catherine Anderson at Champoeg Farm that our lucky Grand Central customers enjoy on all of our breakfast sandwiches at the bakery.

My mother spoiled us on farm fresh eggs.