Call Grandma for best baking recipes

As college students, we’re perhaps not the most inclined to spend our Sunday afternoons whipping… As college students, we’re perhaps not the most inclined to spend our Sunday afternoons whipping up a nice bundt cake. Homework, practice, papers, work ‘mdash; they fill up our plates faster than Paula Deen adds butter to a frying pan. And besides, it’s 2008, not 1953 ‘mdash; who eats bundt cake? Why spend time making something when you can just go to the grocery store and buy it? I know the arguments and attitudes ‘mdash; and excuses ‘mdash; for not properly devoting time to kitchen activities, but baking is a great way to relieve stress, be adventurous, try new foods and have fun. If you’ve never picked up a cake pan, there’s no better time to start than fall. First, scope out the surrounding areas’ farms and festivals. These are a great way to get outdoors, enjoy the crisp autumn days and taste the fresh seasonal offerings that only come this time of year. Apples, pomegranates, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, cranberries and pears are all in season now and make for deliciously satisfying and hearty baked goods.’ Some places allow patrons to pick their own produce, like Simmons Farms in McMurray and Soergel’s Orchard in Wexford. (Check out www.pickyourown.org for a full list of pick-your-own places in western Pennsylvania.) Many others have pre-picked fresh produce for sale, while some even specialize in organically grown fruits and vegetables. If you don’t have the luxury of, say, a car, the local farmer’s markets also carry fresh seasonal produce. The point is to not use store-bought, canned or frozen produce when there are myriad and easily accessible ways to buy fresh, local goods. There are, admittedly, two exceptions to this rule. One is pumpkin. If you’re adventurous and have the know-how, you can gorge a pumpkin for its flesh and turn it into ready-to-use paste for pies and breads. For those of us who don’t have that kind of time, canned pumpkin is acceptable. If you can find freshly packed pumpkin puree in organic food stores or farmer’s markets, that’s even better. The other exception is produce that isn’t grown locally. Case in point: cranberries. Cranberries are involved in some of the best fall foods, like cranberry bread, cranberry sauce and even homemade cranberry vodka, but last time I checked, cranberries weren’t harvested anywhere around Pittsburgh. Save the option of a long weekend road trip or plane fair ‘mdash; your only choice is to buy it from the store. It’s only fair to state a caveat here. Buying fresh produce will be the costliest part of your baking endeavor. But for the best possible result, it’s worth it. Now, a word about baking utensils. There’s an old adage that says, ‘A chef is only as good as the tools he works with’ ‘mdash; or something to that effect. Proper bakeware will allow for more efficient baking and help to avoid any burnt disasters. For amateur bakers on a budget, glass bakeware is a great all-around choice. It’s not that expensive, and it’s easy to use and easy to clean. You can serve your treat right from the pan and store the leftovers in it as well. And unlike metal pans, you don’t have to worry about scratching it. Be careful not to move any glass bakeware from hot temperatures to cold ones too quickly, though, as that could cause the glass to break.’ ‘ ‘ Another useful tool is the French rolling pin. What makes a rolling pin French, you ask? A French rolling pin has no ball-bearing handles. It is simply a long, thin rolling pin with tapered ends. It allows you the most control over pressure and direction when rolling out any kind of pastry crust, which gives you better control of the thickness and diameter of your crust. You can find French rolling pins at any kitchen wares store or in the kitchen section of stores like Target and Wal-Mart.’ So you’ve got your tools and your fresh fruit, and the oven’s turned on and you’re ready to begin. Now all you need is direction. Recipes that include the fruits of the harvest season are about as plentiful as the harvest itself. Simply head over to your nearest computer, Google ‘fall recipes,’ and you’ll get roughly 29 million hits. Take your pick. If you want to keep it old school, you can always turn to cookbooks. ‘The Joy of Cooking’ is an old standby that offers classic recipes, albeit ones a bit complicated for beginners. ‘Better Homes and Gardens: New Cookbook’ is a fine choice for first timers. And you can save yourself the cash by flashing your library card and perusing the Carnegie Library’s cookbook selection. Yes, it has a cookbook selection. But the best way to get a good recipe is simple. Call Mom. Or Grandma. Not only does she have bona fide delicious treats up her sleeve, but she’ll be there to answer questions like, ‘How do you cream shortening and sugar together?’ Perhaps she can’t help you with your math homework anymore, but she’s still a great resource when it comes to challenges of the culinary kind.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ All in all, when the temperatures start to drop and the leaves change color, it’s time to turn on the oven and get to baking. There’s no tastier way to enjoy the fall.