Communal Cooking–I love this article!

This article is just lovely, and fun, and makes me want to try out something like this.  Maybe without the clay oven, and maybe without the whole dismembered goat, but just the idea of all these people cooking together is so cool…and Michael Pollan is such a fun writer, it’s just a very pleasant read:

The 36-hour Dinner Party (from the New York Times Magazine)

(Okay, I thought of titling this post something like “Michael Pollan can roast his root vegetables in my oven any time,” but it was just a little TOO much, considering the sick minds my friends all seem to have…) (And by most accounts, except for his, the root vegetable experiment was one of the weekend’s less successful endeavors anyhow…)

Applesauce Bundt Cake

Okay, I made a bunch of really lovely applesauce…of course, then my kids decided they didn’t like it. Figures. So I have a quart of applesauce and only grownups to eat it.

So I made cake.  This is adapted from a recipe I found here, made a little more healthful…it’s really good!

Applesauce Spice Cake

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl mix:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (or 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup powdered milk)
• 2 cups applesauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Add (just till mixed):

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Pour into greased bundt pan and bake about an hour, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

VERDICT: Really good! This is a keeper.