Cynthia Lair has been a member of the nutrition faculty at Bastyr University since 1994. She also stars in the humorous online cooking show Cookus Interruptus.

A locavore’s stuffing

Stuffing by touch and taste

By Cynthia Lair

November 24, 2008

Years ago, Holly was my daughter’s kindergarten teacher at the Seattle Waldorf School. She became one of my best friends. We take lots of long walks and like to do things like garden and cook together. Holly is an intuitive cook, rarely using a recipe.

The third year that we made stuffing together, I decided that I had better write it down. I loved the way Holly made the whole dish by touch and taste. She often takes a bite and proclaims, “Needs more sage.”

One of my tiny parenting triumphs was getting my daughter, as a resistant-to-everything 15-year-old, to help make the stuffing. Now it is ritual that she lends her hands to the task.

For this Cookus Interruptus video, I strived to use as many local and organic products as possible. The most important factor, since it is a bread stuffing, is the bread. We have many excellent bakeries in the Seattle area, but I chose to use some of the fantastic breads made by the Essential Baking Company. Their breads have a short list of ingredients. The magic must happen in their proportions and their ovens, for they turn out loaf after loaf of heavenly breads, week after week.

Find the local bakeries in your area and utilize their good work by making Holly's Pilgrim Stuffing for the holidays.