Thursday, February 25, 2010

Olympic granola


One time (during the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City) I worked at the Deer Valley Snow Park Bakery. A bakery on the mountains in Park City, UT. Not just on the mountains, at the ski resort. I was the grunt baker. I made cookies, brownies, and cakes in giant Hobarts. And sometimes they'd let me help decorate their fancy evening desserts. And sometimes they'd give me a new recipe and I'd end up with four delicious Sunggery Chocolate Silk Pies. And sometimes I'd end up with a batch of ganache. And one time I ended up with a huge batch of granola.

Watching the Olympics brings back all the memories of working at an Olympic venue during the Olympics. Lots of people in Salt Lake volunteered or worked for the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee that winter, but me? I wanted to ski for free and be part of the Olympics. And I got both.

We got to work really early (as the sun was rising) on a normal day, but during event days we had to get there even earlier (before the sun rose). The first day we stood in line with the spectators to get through security. Standing outside on a cold mountain before the sun rises is no one's idea of a good time. And we got to do it long enough to watch the sun rise over the mountains. But then Deer Valley was left with a bunch of hungry spectators who made it through security, and a bunch of cold employees stuck outside still waiting to be told they weren't security threats. They decided to give us our own security line the following day.

And we weren't allowed to bring out knives home at the end of the day like we usually did because that made security take even longer.

Anyway.

Mr. Yin loves granola.

And we both love the Olympics

So I made Olympic granola.

Okay, so not the Deer Valley recipe (which I do have thanks to this cook book, a favorite). I used this recipe instead.

Please imagine my granola is as pretty as Sunday Suppers. Because it is, I just can't take pictures like they can. Yet.

And I used walnuts instead of almonds.

Mr. Yin likes it. And I like Mr. Yin.

And we both like the Olympics.

3 comments:

Harriet Toothfighter said...

One time I went on a mission. That was the year you decided to work at a bakery. I'm not sure I've forgiven you for that yet.

Biz said...

You know, I think Hobart used to make the Kitchen Aid mixers. So, I'd like to think I own a mini-Hobart.

Unknown said...

I wish I had some of that and some nice, Mongolian goat yogurt!