I'm a Baking Fool

I've been reading several blogs and have joined a few Facebook groups of Westerners living Korea.  When it comes to posts from people like me, who plan to go, but are not there yet, I've noticed a few recurring themes.  Black women fret over whether they'll be able to find hair salons.  White women obsess about whether they'll be perceived as fat compared to local women.  Black men worry about the racism they might face.  And one of my friends, who's moving there this year, is concerned that there won't be any other Latinos around, or anywhere to dance salsa, merengue, bachata, etc.

Me?  I'm freaking out about baking.  You see, I enjoy baking and most Korean apartments don't come equipped with ovens.  So I've been on a baking frenzy since last autumn.  In the past, I would bake once a month and only during the cooler months.  Now I bake on a weekly basis despite the rising temperatures.   Muffins, olive bread, pizza, cheesy bread sticks, ginger bread cookies, whole wheat bread, bruschetta,  raisin bread, rolls, the list goes on... 

Yeah, I know I didn't mention white men.  I usually skip over what they have to say on forums. 

One of these went to my friend Ruth, who just had a baby.  Since she's breast feeding, baby Nicholas will be (indirectly) tasting my bread too!  She eats it with Nutella. 

 

First time making these super-easy rolls.  So pretty I didn't want to eat them. 

I normally use pasta sauce (store-bought or homemade), canned black olives and cheap mozzarella, but lately I've been using freshly diced tomatoes, kalamata olives and real mozzarella.  What a difference!