Anadama oughtn't to rhyme with Alabama

I think that living in the middle of the country drastically intensified my love of New England. When autumn rolls around I'm longing for vivid leaves, decaying barns and ghosts.

Anadama bread is a lovely spicy-sweet creation that I would eat as French Toast at my favorite breakfast spot in high school. The molasses and nutmeg will sustain you through the months of blizzards, which are a metaphor for your stoic and flinty composure among the ghosts.

Adapted from this recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/dining/124arex.html because I don't have a bread mixing machine.)

Sorry for the dismal photo, it is dark like the turnips in the root cellar.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup molasses

3 tablespoons butter, softened, more for greasing bowl (you may replace this with corn, canola, or any other neutral oil)

1/4-ounce package active dry yeast

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half all-purpose & half bread flour)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (Whole nutmegs and all manner of decadent spices may be found at the Indian grocery stores, along with samosas sold in paper bags. Sublime!)

Process:

• Mix the cornmeal together with a cup of water and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring another cup of water to a boil. Add the cornmeal mixture and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.

• Add the molasses and butter and stir to combine, until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Let it cool to room temperature.

• In another small bowl, mix the yeast with 1/2 cup hot water (100-110 degrees = microwaved for about one minute) and a pinch of sugar. Let this sit for about 10 minutes, until a foam covers on the surface.>

• Pour the yeast into the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Sprinkle in salt and nutmeg, and stir until the dough forms a shaggy ball, with most of the flour absorbed.

• Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. If you can gaze into middle distance and whistle melancholy folk tunes, all the better.

• Butter (or oil) another bowl and put the dough in, turning a few times to coat. Cover the dough with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until risen double (1 to 2 hours)

• Tip: If your kitchen is growing cold and drafty, the bread may need some help to rise. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and set it on the bottom of your oven. Place the covered bowl with dough on the middle or top rack, and leave it closed in there while it rises.

• Once the dough rises, punch it down and shape into loaves. Since I don't have loaf pans, I made a boule instead. This ended up being very large, so next time I'll divide the dough into two balls and make two loafs. Once shaped, put the loaves in oiled pans (or for boules, on an oiled cookie sheet), cover with plastic wrap, and let rise another hour or so.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 45min - 1 hour. The bread should be dark brown and sound hollow when tapped on the crust.

• Let the bread sit in its pans for 5 minutes, and then cool on wire racks.

• Enjoy while warm, I particularly recommend with tamarind chutney and hot tea.