I’ve entered a beautiful phase in my life… which I have to find my way out of immediately, as its making me fat… but imagine this if you will.

I’m so inspired by excellent company, surroundings and just being alive that I insist on pairing time of day, weather, recipient, occasion and ambiance ( in or outdoors? town? country? wood? lakeside?) with what I choose to prepare and serve.

I’ve been here before.

Happily these phases pass before my waistline gets beyond the point of reigning in - but maybe this is an opportunity to develop my adulting muscles and cook and bake within reason and still enjoy the happy times? CONCEPT!

I’ll do the whole adult balance thing later. For now, let me set the scene. Days in advance I found myself contemplating the perfect pairing for a Sunday morning breakfast, rain in the forecast, up the side of a mountain in the Swiss alps.

With a measure of giddy anticipation I planned a sensory breakfast eaten fresh from the wood burning stove. One thing was certain. The whole coziness aspect was to be compounded by consuming the delightful (whatever it was going to be) wrapped up in a blanket whilst still in pajamas (of course).

What could be nicer and more treaty in such a setting than big, fluffy, soft and delicious cinnamon rolls?

The execution of the breakfast started the night before. Painfully converting the measurements (American measurements are becoming a pain), heating the milk, water and butter, slowly stoking up the wood burning stove to warm the room so the yeast could do its thing and slowly unpacking to the music of the comforting pop and crackle of dry wood kindling. Sigh.

While kneading the simple dough to a satiny texture by low lights, I could feel the stress of the last few months of the non-stop leaving my body. Doing this and that the settle in, I returned to the doubled dough to roll it out smooth and rectangular and spread it with the buttery, cinnamon sugar mixture. Once cut and arranged in the glass baking dish I shifted the rolls to the warmest place, adjacent to the stove, for rising overnight and finally toddled off to bed with anticipation that this evenings slow labor would result in tantalizing aromas filling every corner the small chalet.

If I could encourage anything, it would be to think about how you can heighten the sense of occasion (even if it’s just having an old friend for dinner) by presenting just the right thing - such as a simple yeasted bread served along side cup of strong tea or coffee to your guest.

How do you think up the proper pairing? Start with the known elements and let your creative juices flow:

1. Season - ingredient availability is key

2. Location

3. Time of day

4. Weather

5. Recipient(s) - You! Your most important guest.

How do you determine what to cook/bake and serve? Would you be interested in some recipes to create an occasion? Please comment below and let’s brainstorm your next menu.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients ( I cut the recipe in half and cut back on the sugar as I think its too much)

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1 1/8 cups water

• 10 Tablespoons butter cut into chunks

• 6 - 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting the counter

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast at lower elevations use 2 packets active dry yeast

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar packed

• 7 teaspoons cinnamon

• 8 Tablespoons softened butter 1 stick, ½ cup

Topping

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1-2 pinches salt

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 2-3 Tablespoons milk

• 2 teaspoons butter

Method

• Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.

• Do not taste or eat any raw dough or batter made with uncooked flour and/or raw eggs.

• Heat milk, water, and butter until 115-120°F. Butter does not need to melt.

• In mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, salt, yeast, and sugar.

• Add milk mixture. Beat well. Beat in two eggs.

• Continuing beating, adding flour as needed, until soft dough forms.

• Sprinkle flour on a clean surface. Remove dough from bowl and knead until smooth and satiny.

• Place in a covered bowl and let rise until doubled, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

• Make the filling by combining brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter to form a paste.

• Flour surface and roll dough out to a very large rectangle. Keep edges as straight as possible.

• Spread filling paste over entire rectangle leaving about 1/2-inch of one long edge plain.

• Roll up towards plain long edge, pinch to seal.

• Cut into 12 even pieces. Place in two 9x13 baking dishes that are lined with parchment paper.

• Cover and let rise until about doubled, approximately 1 hour.

• Bake at 325°F (glass pan) or 350°F (metal pan) until brown and done in the middle of the rolls.

• While rolls are baking, make the topping. Beat together powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, butter, and 2 Tablespoons milk. Add additional milk as necessary until icing is spreadable.

• Just after removing rolls from oven, add topping.

This recipe has been modified from University of Wyoming website.