The Year of the Snake . . .

I heard it was the Year of the Snake and it did not have anything to do with our politicians currently in power! Since my son lives overseas, we tend to think more along the lines of anything Asian. I put my embroidery machine to work but only had a pattern for a Chinese dragon - a snake with legs, perhaps?

My son is all-American but currently became a co-host on a couple of radio programs in Taiwan. It was fun to find his first hosting performance on-line and listening to how he did. From a mother's point of view, he was perfect. Although he is fluent in Chinese, the station deals with an international audience and it is in English. It was amazing to hear the call-in audience and learning they were from all over the world including several state in the US. You never know where the baby they put into your arms ends up in the world!

Wheat Flour Need Not Apply . . .

The first thing that comes into mind when you think 'gluten-free' is how will I ever bake, again? The next thing, if you adventurous, is to heat up the keyboard as you search for ways and means to get around the one missing ingredient. There are many versions of what to use to replace wheat and everyone has success with one or the other. Making dough without wheat is a different process and texture change. It is not, however, impossible. Right now, my favorite blend is pretty simple to make and the ingredients are easy to come by without breaking the bank.

Simple Gluten-Free Baking Mix
2 1/4 cups white rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2/3 cup tapioca flour
3/4 cup glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour)
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons xanthan gum

Mix the ingredients and store until you use it. The 'sweet' rice flour isn't really sweet, just has a slightly different effect on the overall mixture. You will find that a pound of xanthan gum will run around $11 but don't succumb to sticker shock. It lasts a long time as you only need two teaspoons for this mixture. If you are making a recipe using brown rice flour, alone, you will add about the same amount, too. One pound goes a long way . . . and if the recipe calls for it, you need it!

Compared to about five years ago, a google search will turn up a multitude of recipes for baking cookies and cakes. My best advice when deciding on a recipe is to read all the remarks in the comment section following most recipes. That way, you get input from people who have actually made the recipes and get insights into what really worked in the long run, possible changes, or suggestions.