Memories of my last visit to Momma Fox's kitchen still warmed my insides as I retraced my steps through the quaint village streets of Ottery St Catchpole. Eager steps carried me purposefully back to her home for another cooking lesson. The vegetable soup she had shown me previously had been mouthwateringly delicious. I have to admit dear readers that I have been trying to recreate the wonder ever since. The tiny witch was a miracle to watch as she chopped, stirred, and boiled with effortless grace and speed, but I fear my efforts are decidedly... lacking in that department.
The longing to know what was on today's menu made me hurry through the dawn-kissed streets to her door. This time I didn't even have a moment to knock or admire the colourful leftovers of Halloween decorations before the miniature marvel was staring up at me. A mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Oh don't look so surprised dearie. I heard you coming this time," she chuckled as she pointed to the fuzzy, tawny lobes on her head. "Well don't just stand there, child. Come in. We have work to do," she chided, before retreating down the hallway full of prettily carved pumpkins. It appeared from the sight of her home that Momma Fox loved Autumn and all things Halloween. The decorations and delicious smells radiating from the kitchen affirming that she had the ability to bring the best of the season to life. It tickled me to imagine the reclusive lady merrily handing out treats to children while avoiding most of the adult population.
Following her into the warm, cavernous space, I took up my position from my last visit and gave her an encouraging smile. "So Momma Fox. What have you decided to treat the readers and I with this time? I'm very excited to find out," I said sweetly as I scanned the countertops for clues.
"Well, dearie. The one thing I always loved about Autumn as a girl was that my dear Mamma always let us have extra helpings of hot bread from the oven on a cold day," the little witch replied. A slightly wistful look flitting across her wizened face. "So we are going to make her favourite, Pumpkin Bread," she added as she handed me the recipe of the day. "But I know you young'ins love your pumpkin spice fad, so we are going to add a little bit of that too. Just for you, child."
Taking the faded and obviously well-loved parchment from her tiny, wrinkled hand I beamed. "Thank you for sharing this with us, Momma Fox. This one obviously means a lot to you. Please, may I help? I'd like to try." The witch turned and gave me a slight nod in reply, so putting the recipe on the counter beside me, we got to work on this:
330 grams brown sugar
170 grams vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
210 grams fresh or canned pumpkin cut into small chunks
210 grams all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
120 ml water
Directions
1. Heat a Muggle oven to 175C/350F/gas mark 4.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, and eggs and then add the pumpkin and mix well using your Permisceto mixing spell. Five clockwise and then five counterclockwise turns should do it.
3. In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, cloves, and allspice.
4. Add the dry mixture to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water, beating well using Lento Suscito to whisk it firmly 3 times counterclockwise after each addition.
5. Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf tin and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. This should take 60-65 minutes in a Muggle oven. Do not be tempted to rush it with Thermunum as this will make the outside too crispy.
6. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool.
7. Serve warm or cold with a good sweep of butter.
Just over ninety minutes later, it was ready, and I am proud to announce my dear readers that I did not end up in the mess I normally would have done. With Mama Fox's guidance, I had managed to produce a loaf that both looked and smelled good enough to make my stomach groan hungrily. Grinning happily as I washed off my hands, I said warmly, "Thank you, Momma Fox. That was a lovely experience."
"Oh, phish. It was nothing child. But I'm glad you enjoyed it. Would you like to have a slice and a mug of hot chocolate before you go? It's such a cold day after all?" Momma Fox beamed up at me.
And the rest of that magical day is a story for another day, dear reader! So please join us again next month to see what wonder Momma Fox is going to teach us next! - Nikita