The Role of Rolls

With less than two weeks to Thanksgiving, my family is doing the usual preparatory discussions. Aunts, uncles, cousins – Thanksgiving is a big deal, and there are always logistics to discuss. Who’s bringing what? Should we stick to the usual repertoire, or add something new? Did somebody just request tater tots? Really?? There are some things that are sacred, however, and one of them is dinner rolls. No Thanksgiving would be complete without the mouthwatering scent of hot bread emanating from the basket of dinner rolls on the table – modestly wrapped in a cloth, but nonetheless seductive to the senses. You just can’t wait to reach into that warm basket and scald your fingers slightly as you opened up the hot bread and watch the golden butter melt over it, running down the side in rivulets and mingling with the mashed potatoes already piled on your plate. Growing up, the presence of the rolls was anything but incidental. My mother is one of seven siblings who still get together every year for Thanksgiving at the family home on Camano Island. For as long as I can remember, her assignments were pumpkin pie and dinner rolls. In the small town where we lived there was one bakery, and rolls had to be ordered far in advance of the holiday. Should she fail in her duty, there would be a formidable wall of six disappointed siblings, as well as nephews and nieces, to deal with. Believe me, this is not a mission you want to entrust to the prepackaged bread aisle in the supermarket. If you live anywhere near the Eastside, Belle Pastry can save you from supermarket ignominy. If you are looking for buttery, flaky croissants, soft brioches, or crusty baguettes, Belle Pastry is ready to serve. But as with my mother, it’s best to order in advance to avoid the March of Shame down the supermarket’s bread aisle on Thanksgiving morning. Order your rolls ahead in full or half-dozens and pick them up when it suits you – Belle Pastry is open until 3:00 pm on Thanksgiving day.