Vermont Maple Oatmeal Bread

     Growing up I was not much of an oatmeal fan unless it was in my mimi's oatmeal cookies.  As I grew older, I discovered oatmeal bread.  (Notice I didn't say grew up - I'm hoping that will never happen.)  Not that I'm baking, I'm making oatmeal bread.  This is a great recipe for Vermont Maple Oatmeal Bread at King Arthur.  I threw in some sunflower seeds just for the heck of it.  The maple and cinnamon in the bread are not overpowering.  There's just enough of a hint to enhance the aroma and flavor.  Just a wonderful subtle undertone.  It's one of those breads that you get a beautiful rise from.  The type that when Wayne sees it cresting the pan, he starts tasting it in his mind.  It's one of those breads that as it is cooling you need to find something to do, so you're not tempted to start eating it as soon as it comes out the oven.  It's a very tender bread with a wonderful crust.  It's been wonderful with breakfast; it was great bread for a smoked turkey sandwich; and I'm looking forward to it as French Toast.
     I mentioned in my last blog that our trip to Vermont was one of my favorite vacations.  In 1993 I took a week off work with the blessings of my wonderful principal, Paul.  It's not like I could see Fall color in June or November.  It had to be in October.  Being raised New Orleans, there is minimal Fall color.  There is a  little color to be found - swamp red maples, cypress get a beautiful rusty color, and Bradford pears get some color as well, but nothing like Vermont.  Good Lord, it is spectacular.  We were there at peak color.  When we arrived, everything was ablaze.  By time we left several days later, the trees were bare.
     I remember bringing a sack of McIntosh apples home from Coldhollow Cider Mill.  It was fascinating to watch them turn apples into fresh apple cider.  The smell was a little bit of olfactory heaven.  We discovered Danforth Pewter.  They have beautiful housewares and jewelry.  I bought some Christmas charms that I used as ornaments of an embroidered Christmas tree on a tee-shirt.  Just this last Christmas, Santa brought me a gorgeous barrette and earrings from Danforth.  I've bought several birthday and Christmas gifts from them over the years.  I remember visiting The Vermont Teddy Bear Company, where you can still find a teddy bear made in The United States.  It was teddy bear Nirvana.  Walking into The Vermont Country Store was like taking a step back in time.  You find yourself saying, "I didn't know they still made that," over and over again.  And of course, visiting King Arthur Flour filled with tempting aromas and everything a baker could possible want.
     There were many small, cozy stores and restaurants.  While we were having breakfast one morning there were a few snow flurries.  (I did mention that I am a southerner, didn't I?)  When I saw the flurries I was sooooo excited.  We're eating and I'm saying (rather loudly), "Look Wayne, it's snowing! It's snowing!"  People in the restaurant looked at me like I was the goofiest person they had ever seen.
     But the real star of the trip was the natural beauty.  The Fall color, the green mountains, the winding roads, the covered bridges - all of these things made it a trip I will always remember.  Wayne had a photo of me playing in the leaves as if I were a young child.  Our ride on the Green Mountain Railroad was a great way to see the countryside.  One of the things we brought home to remember our Vermont vacation was a framed preserved leaf.  All of our photos and our leaf are now safe and sound in a landfill somewhere.  Even though the physical mementos are gone, the vivid images in my memory will stay with me forever.