Day 2 of our Bake!-Cation

We only have a morning class today and not back in the kitchen until the evening of the 30th. We'll have a couple of days to explore the area surrounding Ann Arbor.

A tad warmer this morning, 45° with a high of 75° expected. Absolutely glorious weather!

We saw at least 11 deer on the road coming in this morning, making the drive treacherous. 

It’s back to the Bakehouse for breakfast this morning.

Cinnamon raisin bagel

Pain au chocolate

Scent-uous

Good pastry should smell as good as it looks. Break open any baked good & stick your nose right up close. In the end, the only taste that counts is yours. If the aroma's lacking the flavor will be lagging. If the smell is scent-uous, you’re onto something:  bite boldly!

Cheers to British Baked Goods

In this hands-on session, we’ll whip up fresh English muffins—trust me, they’re light-years ahead of the supermarket versions—and indulge in rich, buttery vanilla bean shortbread cookies. Oh, and let’s not forget Scottish Oatcakes. After this class, don’t be shocked if we find ourselves scheduling daily high tea—because who needs a reason when you have baked goods?

Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies

Vanilla Bean Shortbread, the gold standard of shortbread, all jazzed up with a sprinkle of Madagascar vanilla bean magic.

Making discs of shortbread dough

Ready to chill before cutting

Made with the kind of real butter that makes cows proud, a splash of genuine vanilla, and a hint of sea salt, these cookies are like little bites of creamy heaven that practically melt on your tongue. That Madagascar vanilla bean? It’s the cherry on top, adding a sophisticated sweetness that gives the classic shortbread a fancy upgrade.

And the texture?: tender yet just crumbly enough to make you feel like a cookie connoisseur, perfect for dunking in your tea or coffee. So, I think I'll grab a cup and get ready for a shortbread experience that’s anything but short on flavor!

English Muffins: the breakfast delight

Grilling the ‘zinglish’ muffins 

Warm English muffins, with butter dripping into every little crevice, mmmm, mmmm. These beauties are made with a “preferment” (which sounds all posh but is really just yeast getting its groove on), and they come packed with a sweet, buttery flavor—no secret ingredients or preservatives lurking here! Seriously, these muffins should have a VIP spot in your freezer—because who in their right mind wants to be without such a delightful breakfast companion?

Scottish Oat Cakes

Oatcakes, those delightful Scottish flatbreads, are basically the lovechild of oats, salt, and water, cooked up on a griddle or baked into charming little rounds. They’re like the cool cousin of toast, making breakfast in Scotland a whole lot more interesting!

Batter is resting

Shaped and ready for the oven

Biting into a freshly-made, golden oatcake is a complete joy! First, there’s the satisfying snap as it breaks. Then the crumbly, crunchy oats impart their toasty flavour, and, as you chew, you understand why oats are called the ‘golden’ cereal. Oatcakes are the taste equivalent of a bountiful harvest on a sunny, summer’s day.

At Zingerman’s—they whip up these oatcakes using some time-honored Scottish magic. Served warm, they come with a smorgasbord of savory fillings or sidekicks that could make even your toast jealous!

Once our classes wrapped up this morning, we made a beeline for the cider mill in Dexter, where I snagged an apple and an apple cider donut. Jo Anne had her heart set on an apple fritter, though. Word on the street is that folks travel from far and wide for the legendary fritters that are only available on Saturday and Sunday mornings. And trust me, they disappear faster than you can say "delicious"! Needless to say, Jo Anne had to settle for a donut. 

We strolled down to the Huron River, where we marveled at the leaves drifting by like nature's little boats.

This afternoon is a time to do some exploring. We’re off to Chelsea to grab some lunch at the Common Grill and see the sights of the town.

We both had the fish tacos. Blackened Mahi Mahi, Napa Cabbage Slaw, Tomato-Red Pepper Salsa, Pickled Red Onion, Red Pepper Aioli, Warm Flour Tortilla, French Fries. The fish was way overcooked and the flour tortilla's were hard. Quite disappointing!

Rock trumpet

Beautiful produce in the market 

After soaking in all that Chelsea had to offer, we made our way back to Dexter, with a grand plan to cruise along the river. But plot twist! What we thought was a road turned out to be a charming little trail. So, we decided to stroll along the river instead. Who needs a car when you’ve got a picturesque path? 

New England Aster

Coneflower

Soaking up the sun

Panicled hydrangea 

No idea what this is 

The trail was boardwalk and pavement 

Deer hiding in the trees. 

Food for Thought

The name Emmanuel truly highlights how close God is to us. In Greek, it breaks down to meta (with), ego (I or me), and Theos (God). We always first associate it with Isaiah's prophecy and then it comes to life with Jesus' birth. God didn’t just observe from a distance; He stepped right into our world, walked those dusty roads, experienced joy and sorrow, and promised we would never be left alone. Through the Holy Spirit, we can embrace the essence of this name well beyond the holiday season. God isn’t some far-off figure; He’s right here, sharing in our human journey, living inside us, and offering guidance, peace, and strength for each day.

You know, if God were to show up in person, you might expect something grand—a throne room, a palace, or at least a moment that the world would remember forever. But instead, He chose a stable, a young girl who wasn’t even married, and a name that had been waiting for 700 years to be revealed. 

Matthew 1:23 tells us, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us.” Not God above us, not God just watching from afar, but God right here with us.

In 735 BC, when the prophet Isaiah stood before King Ahaz of Judah, who was surrounded by enemies and making desperate political deals instead of trusting in God, God didn’t give him a battle plan or send an angel with a sword; He gave him a sign—a name. A child would be born, and that child would be called Emmanuel. 

700 years passed through the rise and fall of empires, Israel’s exile, and 400 years of silence—no prophets, no new revelations. Then, in a humble stable, in a forgotten town, a child is born. Matthew, writing his gospel, reaches back to those ancient words and says, "This is the one. This is what the name was always pointing toward."

Have you ever noticed how Matthew's gospel (1:23) starts with that beautiful name, Emmanuel? And the very last words Jesus speaks in the entire book echo the same promise: "And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." God with us! 

Emmanuel isn’t just a Christmas name; it frames the entire story of Jesus. We often think God is most likely to show up in our lives during those high moments—when prayers are answered, during breakthroughs in a sermon, or when life finally aligns with our hopes. But what about those seasons that feel like a stable? The unremarkable, exhausting times when nothing seems to be happening, and God feels distant simply because the setting doesn’t seem significant?

Remember, Emmanuel arrived in a stable. God didn’t choose a palace; He picked the last place anyone would think to look—the very spot that seemed like the absence of God. The people who found Him weren’t the powerful or well-known; they were shepherds, the overlooked, and a teenage girl navigating a confusing and scary time in her life. Emmanuel doesn’t wait for your life to become exceptional before He shows up. He enters the stables of our lives, and His presence is what transforms them into something significant. 

He’s with you right now, in this moment. And I cling to that promise from the end of Matthew: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” not just in the standout moments but in every. single. one. of them.