Apple Spice Bread

When I eat this bread, I think of fall because it has cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  When I recently shared it with a friend, it reminded them of Christmas because it has cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Different people see (or taste) things differently. It’s all a matter of perspective.

A few weeks ago, I was in the drugstore picking up some prescriptions for my husband.  I had called them in the night before and gotten the automated system where it asked you to leave a callback number in case they had any questions.  Done it a million times.

After waiting patiently at the counter for several minutes while apparently everyone who works there was behind the counter chit chatting about the latest episode of Real Housewives, I finally got someone to recognize that a real person was standing there. They told me that one of the prescriptions was not ready, so I could wait a few minutes or come back.  Wishing I hadn’t gone to the grocery store right before I came and had a bunch of produce in a car parked in 90 degree heat, but not wanting to come back either, I agreed to wait.

That was when Mr. Rogers appeared to also pick up a prescription that wasn’t ready.

While I prowled the aisles, muttering under my breath things like, “How hard can it be to count out 30 pills and put them in a stinking jar? I mean, it’s not like I called it in 10 minutes ago.  It’s  3;00 in the afternoon and they’ve had all day to do it.  Did they need to visit the enchanted forest to find a magical unicorn and get a strand of his hair, mix it with mushrooms grown under the third full moon of the last Tuesday of the month and dance naked in the evening mist to make these things?  WTH!”

Meanwhile, Mr. Rogers was helping old ladies with walkers navigate the aisles, reorganizing the greeting cards, and whistling a happy tune while bluebirds circled his head and cute little forest animals frolicked about his sneakered feet.  Grrrrrr.

Finally, they called my name and I rushed up to the counter, credit card in hand, one eye on the escape route.

”Looks like it won’t be ready till tomorrow,” the woman explained.  ‘We called and left you a message.”

”You called?” I whipped out my cell.  ‘“ I’ve had it with me all day, and see? No missed calls”

”Ummmmm,” she looked at a coworker behind the counter.

”I called this number, “ she shouted out, rattling off our old house phone number.

”Why would you call that number” I asked, “when I left my cell on the automated system?”

”Oh, did you leave another number? I guess we don’t check those.  We just go with what is on file.”

”Then why do you have people waste their time entering a number you have absolutely no intention of using?” I asked through gritted teeth. “And why couldn’t you have told me that like 15 minutes ago.”  Maybe they really couldn’t count to 30 at this store, or get the pills into the bottle.

”Ummmmm .” She began looking around for a lifeline.

”Sometimes, things happen and people make mistakes,” Mr. Rogers helpfully supplied.

Really?  Are you sure you want a piece of this conversation?  I’d think twice if I were you before telling me that it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Isn’t there a kitten up a tree that needs rescuing? Maybe take Lady Elaine out for some coffee?  How about returning to your neighborhood before I get all King Friday on your sorry self!

Yes.  Sometimes it’s a matter of perspective when it comes down to how people see things.

Ingredients:

• 1  3/4cups of spelt flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup maple sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 heaping Tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 stick ( 8 Tablespoons) vegan butter
• 1  1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Put the butter in a loaf pan to melt it while the oven warms up.
2. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
3. When the butter is melted, use a pastry brush to paint some on the sides of the loaf pan, then carefully pour out the butter and combine it with the other wet ingredients in a small bowl. If the butter is very hot and your applesauce and almond milk are cold, you should temper the butter first by adding a small bit of the cold ingredients and whisking well, then add the cooled butter to the rest of the ingredients and whisk well to combine.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir till just combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and let sit for 5 minutes or so till it rises. 
5. ‘Bake for 50 minutes, then cool in pan for about half an hour or so before turning it out on a rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!