A little smell of heaven...

I got a present!

What ARE those little pebbles? Rocks? Gravel? Well... no.

Why, that's what frankincense and myrrh look like.

The iconic smells come from these little dried up pieces of tree resins. They're like little gems of fragrance, and you only need to heat them up in order to release their smelly goodness. In my imagination, they smell like summer heat and the outdoors. It belongs in a market with food and people and mystery. Maybe like the ones in the Tol'vir's desert cities in Uldum or Ezio's Damascus... Oh man, I'm a dork.

Aaaand... I should have taken pictures before I ripped the packages open...  Anyways... So, in order to make your house smell like the market in the Lost City of Tol'vir, all you need to do is lay your hands on some of this stuff. You can purchase it online, but knowing me, I prefer local sellers. This one's from Idaho!

To heat it up, you can place some pieces on hot coals, or on a piece of tin foil in a skillet over low heat. Be sure to put tin foil under the pieces, though, because it does melt a little and you don't want to ruin a good pan! If you're like me, though, and you don't feel like heating up the house in the middle of summertime, you can improvise with a candle warmer, like I've done.

Oh how I wish I could send you some scent through the computer! Trust me, it's great.

Peace and love, Ath

Goldenbark Apple (Pie!)

So, anyone know what's up with Warcraft and pies? Freaking cherry pies everywhere... Sure there's plenty of apples as in-game items, but not a single apple pie to be found! (If you find one, let me know!)

After I scored a dozen incredible apples at our local farmers' market, I decided that I'm going to take the extra step that the Azerothian bakers seem to get stuck on... and make a pie. Seriously. If you can make a cherry pie, you can make an apple pie... just sayin'.

These bad boys look a little bit like Goldenbark Apples, a level 35 food item. They're so delicious! I had a hard time chopping them all up to make my pie--I kept eating the slices! *sigh*

Goldenbark Apple Pie

  Pie Crust:
     2 cups all-purpose flour

     3/4 teaspoon salt
     1 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
     1 egg
     2 tablespoons cold water
     1 tablespoon white vinegar
  Apple Filling:
     5 Braeburn apples
     3/4 cup sugar
     2 tablespoons flour
     1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine the flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, water, and vinegar together to blend, and then pour evenly over flour mixture. Stir with a fork until a dough starts to form. We can't use the dough as is, without letting it chill, so divide dough in half and shape each into a ball, and then lightly flatten. Wrap up those dough circles with plastic wrap and let them rest in your fridge for 20 minutes.

When the dough is ready, dust rolling pin and work surface with flour. Roll the dough to a uniform thickness, about 1-inch larger than your pie dish. So if the top of your pie dish is 8-inches across, roll the dough into a 10 inch circle. Carefully place one dough circle into your pie dish and gently press it into the pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel, core, and slice your apples. In a large bowl, mix apples, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Carefully scoop the apple mixture into your pie crust. Place the top crust on, and form the edges of your pie crust, making sure to leave no gaps between the top and bottom crust. Cut slits in the top of your pie. Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, keeping an eye on the edges of your crust. If you have a pie ring, use it. If you don't, you can make one out of tin foil. This will protect the edges of your crust from becoming burnt.

And, yes.  I kept my tradionalness under control and did not add sharp cheddar. My pie tasted great, but honestly, apple pie without cheese? Ugh... If you've never had apple pies with cheese, you're missing out.

The next time you're craving an apple pie (or the next time you start to feel like destroying a bunch of apples--a la Cro Threadstrong), don't reach for the ones in the freezer section! Pies are easy to make and even easier to eat!

Peace and love, Ath

P.S. I strongly encourage you to head on over to Shattrath and pick up a couple of Cro's Apples. So maybe they're apples... but on the battleground, maybe they're the skulls of your vanquished enemies. Just give it a try!