Judi Hendricks > Quotes

“Why the hell didn't we just stay friends? That felt reasonably good. We had fun. I could tell him anything. Of course, he never told me very much about himself, but it didn't matter as much then. Now look at us. Throw some sex into the mix and it's like putting too much yeast in bread. It's all very fizzy and light and wonderful, but then is rises too high and can't support it's own weight and the whole thing falls flat.”
― Judi Hendricks, The Baker's Apprentice

“After he died, people would always say to me, "At least you have Wyn". She touches my arm. "But I didn't. There wasn't much left of you. And what there was, you weren't willing to share with me.”
― Judi Hendricks, Bread Alone

“My Oma, my grandmother told me that the best friendships often start with a quarrel. She said there's a closeness that comes from a good healthy fight that you can't get any other way, and I think it must be true. Look at CM and me. Our friendship started with a fistfight and twenty-two years later it's still going strong. The friendship, I mean.”
― Judi Hendricks, Bread Alone

“I just don't know what's going on here, and when I'm uncomfortable, I get a bit...edgy.”
― Judi Hendricks, Bread Alone

“The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a heaven of Hell and a hell of Heaven. —John Milton”
― Judi Hendricks, Baker's Blues

“His expression I remember from the first time I met him. Open, direct. But no longer anonymous. I know certain telling details now. Like he can't stand his brother and he gets one haircut a year. He likes Raymond Chandler and John Irving, Wallce Stegner and Joan Didion. That he loves the blues and songs that tell stories. Riding the ferries just to be on water. His favorite flavor is caramel.”
― Judi Hendricks, Bread Alone

“It was like a religious conversion for me. In fact, it’s kind of like sex—one of those things that everyone thinks they know all about and they tell you how great it is, but which is actually pretty uninspiring until you have it one time the way nature intended it to be.”
― Judith Ryan Hendricks, Bread Alone

“I’ve entered a different world, and my heart suddenly lifts. It seems I’ve finally slipped the gravitational pull of New Mexico, and the past is dropping away behind me like a spent booster rocket.”
― Judi Hendricks, The Laws of Harmony

“Patty’s Cake with Espresso-Caramel Sauce 7 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened cooking chocolate ¾ cup butter 1½ cups strong coffee ¼ cup bourbon 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups cake flour 1½ cups sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt Grease and flour two 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pans. Put the chocolate, butter, and coffee in a heavy saucepan with a 4½-quart capacity. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, till chocolate is melted, then stir vigorously till mixture is smooth and thoroughly blended. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. Beat in bourbon, eggs, and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and beat into the chocolate mixture till well blended. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake in a 275°F oven 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely. Serve with whipped cream, crème fraîche, or Espresso-Caramel Sauce. ESPRESSO-CARAMEL SAUCE 1 cup sugar ⅓ cup water ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream 3 tablespoons espresso Whisk sugar into water and pour into heavy-bottomed saucepan—preferably one with a white or light-colored interior, so you can keep an eye on the color change of the caramel. Stir over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Do not stir, but wash down sides of pan frequently with a clean brush dipped in water. Meanwhile, heat cream to a simmer in another pan. When sugar begins to caramelize and turn golden around edges of pan, lift pan very carefully and gently swirl mixture to ensure even caramelization. Boil until syrup is a beautiful, deep amber—3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set pan in sink. Slowly pour in hot cream, whisking to combine. Mixture will bubble up and may splatter. You may want to wear glasses to protect your eyes. Stir in espresso and blend until smooth. If mixture starts to harden, return to low heat and whisk until dissolved. While sauce is still warm, strain through fine-mesh strainer. Makes about 1 cup.”
― Judi Hendricks, Bread Alone

“They’re still your family. And I believe you can know them to some degree by listening to yourself, your own heart. They’re all in there. Waiting to tell you what you need to know. All you have to do is listen.”
― Judi Hendricks, Isabel's Daughter

“We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us… —Marcel Proust”
― Judi Hendricks, Baker's Blues

“Life just kind of stumbled along, day by day, and happiness wasn’t something I spent a lot of time thinking about, one way or the other.”
― Judi Hendricks, Isabel's Daughter

“It rained in the night—the kind the Navajos call a female rain—slow and steady, soaking into the earth. As opposed to a male rain, which is hard, fast, and runs off immediately.”
― Judi Hendricks, The Laws of Harmony