Hello!

After months of being stuck at home and only limiting our outside interactions to essential trips, Erlend and I finally took some very cautious first steps into expanding our world. We celebrated our would-be wedding date of August 28th with a lovely, outdoor-seated dinner at a new restaurant. It was a welcome break from the perfunctory lunches and dinners we’d been surviving on at home.

Because prior to this month, the last time we dined in a restaurant together was in early March of this year. And until this recent meal out, I didn’t realize what a big part of my life I’d lost. I’ve always loved, well, eating. Not only the desserts I make for Hummingbird High, but also eating out in restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bakeries, and so on. As a result, I made doing so a priority in our lives. I chose to buy a smaller, modest house in a central part of the city to be close to my favorite places. And before the pandemic, we ate out at least once or twice a week.

It’s hard for me to imagine doing that now, or anytime soon.

This month, I read a bittersweet article in The New York Times in which New Yorkers described their final meals at their favorite restaurants. Many of these restaurants were closing or were about to do so because the pandemic had made their businesses unsustainable. My heart broke thinking about the business owners, chefs, and staff who’d poured their everything into these places. Furthermore, I’ve seen some grim statistics on the decimated restaurant industry. Some sources say that up to 60% of small restaurants will close in the next few years as a direct result of COVID-19. Others project numbers as high as 80% or 90%.

But what does it mean if we’ve chosen to live somewhere based on a rapidly changing community? Especially since the last few months of being stuck at home made the shortcomings of our house painfully obvious. So do we move elsewhere to a new house with everything we need and want? Or do we stay, in the hopes that the community we love will eventually bounce back?

I don’t know what any of the answers are, but I suspect that many of you are grappling with the same questions. The housing market in Portland—and elsewhere—is hysterical right now. A quick call with my architect and contractor also confirmed that they’re both busier than ever. Many are remodeling their homes to fit their changing needs. All I know is that, even with all the uncertainty, Erlend and I are still very lucky and privileged that these are our worries.

How are you guys doing?

In Case You Missed It: New Recipes

And in case you missed it, I published and updated the following recipes in the past month. Here’s a round-up of everything new:

Below are pictures of the two most popular recipes from the month—Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies and Small Batch No Bake Cheesecake Bars—to inspire you:

Food For Thought

This past month, I also spent a LOT of time thinking and reading about food beyond the baking recipes you see on this blog. Here are the ideas and issues that resonated with me:

raspberry cheesecake buns from one tin bakes

New Cookbooks

So many of my friends, acquaintances, and peers wrote amazing cookbooks this month. Here are a handful of my faves:

Recipes and Resources To Save

And here are the recipes and cooking-related resources I saved these last few weeks:

Let’s Get Political

Yes, yes, this is a recipe website. But in the last few months, it’s become painfully obvious that, well, everything is political. Heck, the very act of actively CHOOSING not to speak about the issues I care about is political in itself! So I might as well sing loudly and proudly for my causes, right? Right.

Finally, On A Lighthearted Note

Now, I hope you all are staying safe and healthy! Please let me know how you’re doing in the comments below, and feel free to share the ideas and issues that are floating around in your heads, too.

XO,
Michelle