Vermont is a lovely place to live.

After all, it’s home to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream; nothing like being right next to the source of Cherry Garcia, Phish Food, and all those other crazily delicious flavors.

Cabot Creamery, the cooperative that supplies so many of us around the country with cheese, butter, sour cream, and yogurt, is just one of the many dairies in the state serving up everything the local cows (and goats, and sheep) can offer.

And there are only about half a million people in the entire state – so the mountains, wide open green spaces, and winding country roads certainly aren’t crowded.

There’s one major problem with Vermont, though – at least the little corner of it where we live.

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King Arthur Flour baker Martin Philip recently traveled to Rimini, Italy to compete for the Golden Cup for Bread at the 34th International Exhibition for the Artisan Production of Gelato, Pastry, Confectionery and Bakery.

How did he do? And, just as importantly, how did he prepare?

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Un baguette integrale?

Mais non – c’est incroyable!

Such might be the reaction of any self-respecting Parisian, who’d no doubt scoff at a whole-wheat version of France’s beloved baguette.

But as a new year dawns, and you vow – AGAIN – to eat healthier, get a little sauvage et fou: try this baguette.

I mean, if Panera can pull it off, why not you?

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You know those really dense, chewy rounds of bread you can buy at artisan bread bakeries?

Breads with a satiny, dark-brown crust, packed with fruit and nuts and, most of all, with incredible flavor from their long, slow rise?

Believe it or not, you – yes, YOU – can make a loaf like this at home. With no particular talent, and no special equipment.

Truth.

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This is not your mother’s whole wheat bread.

No offense to Mom, of course – but I’m guessing it’s probably better than hers.

Did your mom make you PB & J sandwiches on homemade whole wheat bread?

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Ah, the giddy days in the kitchen. You know the ones, where you suddenly see Al Pacino’s face in your morning toast, or you sing “Heard It Through the Grapevine” while measuring out your raisins (complete with hand rolls, if you lived through the ’80s). I’m prone to juggling oranges and lemons and, …

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One of the greatest challenges of gluten-free baking is tackling yeast recipes. Those restricted from gluten want warm, chewy English muffins, sweet, soft cinnamon rolls, and a good crusty artisan-style bread; however the consensus is that these are the most difficult novelties to achieve, especially if you want them to be anything close to their wheat-version counterparts.

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Does this look like a dry, dense, “fiber-y” muffin to you?

No, it doesn’t to me, either.

And I can attest (since I was there, on the other end of the camera) that this moist muffin, packed with high-fiber flax and juicy blueberries, is as tasty as any “healthy” muffin you’re liable to run across.

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I’m Irish. And I love love LOVE potatoes.

Mashed, steamed, (french) fried, saladed, O’Brien’d, even Tater-Totted – potatoes are my BFF (best friend forever, for those of you without regular contact with teenage girls).

Cabbage – pretty good, especially quickly sautéed and served crisp. Or made into coleslaw.

Corned beef? Lukewarm (even when hot in a sandwich).

Irish brown bread?

Ewww…

Until now.

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The other night my 2-year-old daughter, Amelia, and I baked a birthday cake. I weighed the ingredients into the bowl, she stirred (and perfected the word “ounces”), we carefully peeked into the oven together when the timer went off, and a little while later we enjoyed our delicious homemade cake. It was a lovely example of baking for family fun at its best.

But let me tell you a secret about baking for family fun: Sometimes, it’s not that fun. Sometimes, like when you’re a new parent and it’s your first attempt at really hands-on involving your 2-year-old in the baking process, it can be a disaster.

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