One of my sons learned to make this at a friend’s house, and it became such a favorite of our family that I started buying poppy seeds in bulk. (Note: Don’t eat this bread the day before a drug test)

And here’s an interesting personal note. Our son was about twelve when he made this bread, like every day for a year. He is now 28, married, and his wife Erin is my website photographer. She’s the one who took these pictures of the Poppy Seed Loaf, as well as the photos on my cookbook cover and most of the interior ones. It’s funny how life has these little connections, isn’t it?

Poppy Seed Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
• ½ cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Glaze: ½ cup powdered sugar stirred into two tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of a large bread loaf pan.

Mix liquid ingredients: milk, almond extract, oil, egg. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just enough to blend together. Pour batter into pan then bake for 50 – 60 minutes, or until done (toothpick or knife inserted in center comes out clean.)

Remove from pan and while warm drizzle top with glaze. Cool completely before slicing.

Photography by Erin Gowen