It's Thanksgiving this weekend in Canada! We are fairly traditional with Turkey, pumpkin pie, apple pie, yams, brussel sprouts... add some thick and rich gravy, bring on dinner!
Today I went to work on my day off (again) to finish pies I had started yesterday and bake off all the buns I have been working on all week. I made basic white and wheat doughs *fortified with our inhouse sour which is my job to look after, and if someone messes with it, I am CRANKY!*)light rye, kaisers (onion, cheese, poppyseed and cornmeal toppings). I use the sours in all the dough's I make, adding to the moisture content and the shelf life. We use no preservatives in anything. I have a heavy rye, white, wheat and a light rye sour on the go at all times.

Hot Cross Buns! Hot Cross Buns!
One a penny,
Two a penny,
Hot Cross Buns!
If you have no daughters,
Pray give them to your sons!
One a penny,
Two a penny,
Hot Cross Buns!

My recipe below.

In honor of Saint Patrick's Day, everyone is printing their recipe for Irish Soda Bread. I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring as well.

I should tell you, in advance, that my recipe has one lesson that all bakers need to know that you are unlikely to find in the other recipes. Click Read More to learn that lesson.

Although not as popular a method of celebrating Mardi Gras as drinking excessively and pressuring young women to remove their clothing, making a King Cake is a fun, festive way of taking part in a centuries old tradition of excess.

Below is a bit about the history of Mardi Gras and instructions on making this sweet, rich, festive bread.