Burnt Lumpia

A Bun in the Oven (& Some Ensaimada Too)

Some changes have been in the works here at the Burnt Lumpia Worldwide Headquarters over the past few weeks and months. Most recently, the wife and I have been shuffling things from room to room to make room for other things--if that makes sense.

We've pretty much been emptying and clearing out our home office (which was originally an extra bedroom). I've shifted my work desk out of the office and into the breakfast nook next to our kitchen (now making that space more conducive to food blogging). And since there was nowhere else to stow the rest of my office junk, our guestroom is now a guestroom/storage room (now making that space more conducive to shorter visits from my parents. I'm kidding. Kind of.).

And what about the now empty room formerly known as our "office"?

We're turning it into a nursery!

Yes, I'm happy to announce that the wife and I are expecting our first child! "Baby Lumpia" is due in early August, and yes, we do know the sex of the baby--though I think I'll keep that bit of information under wraps, for now at least. Obviously, I've been holding on to this good news for a while now and waiting for the right time to share it with everyone here. But with all the crazy goings-on needed to prepare for a baby (A BABY!), I've been a bit distracted to say the least.

To celebrate the wife's growing belly (and appetite), I decided to bake... a bun in the oven of course! The particular buns I attempted to bake are actually sweet Filipino brioche rolls called Ensaimada.

I know, baking isn't exactly my forte here. I've never baked any sort of bread before, let alone Ensaimada. But I've never had a kid before either. I figure that if I can make a decent Filipino Ensaimada, I've got a decent chance at learning how to change a diaper--both activities involve a great deal of softened butter (insert rimshot here).

With a new baby and all, at least there will be someone besides myself that finds great amusement in poop jokes. At least that's my hope...

In Like A Lion...

As indicated by the three measly recipes I've posted so far this year (here, here, and here), I haven't been in the kitchen much as of late. My absence from the Burnt Lumpia Worldwide Headquarters Kitchen is not due to a lack of motivation or hunger (OK, maybe a little bit).

In all truthfulness though, my winter has been very, uh, eventful. As the saying goes, In like a lion... I suppose.

Note: Not an actual lion.

I've been generally busy, but the events that have really kept me out of the kitchen and away from my blog range from terribly bad (this economy is a mother-effing bitch!), to wonderfully good (woohoooo!). And yes, I'm being very vague on purpose--I'll share more later (maybe).

But I did want to check in and let everyone know that I'll be back to posting recipes regularly, answering comments, and visiting everyone's wonderful blogs very soon--I just have to catch my breath is all. Spring is just around the corner, better days ahead... out like a lamb.