Earlier this week a bread machine ended up in our e-waste load. In the spirit of reduce, RE-USE, and recycle, I thought I'd give it a whirl to see if it still works (with the permission of the previous owner).
Now, you have to be careful when testing things slated for recycling. Don't plug them in where they could potentially blow up any sensitive electronics (like the wireless radio being programmed by Favourite Man). Check to see if there's any wear and tear on cords or plugs. Attempt to find a user manual online and make sure you don't press any self-destruct buttons, etc.
All that done, I plugged it in. Hmmm... seemed to work OK.
So I invested in a kilo of white bread flour as a test run, dumped an approximation of ingredients into the depths late last night, and pressed play.
Initially it was a bit of trial and error to make sure the mix wasn't too wet or too dry. Kept an eye on it while it mixed into a dough ball, then left it be.
Around midnight our first loaf of bread beeped done.
And this morning we ate it for breakfast! Hey, it wasn't half bad. Nice and moist, filling (as most home-made bread is), substantial slices and tasted quite decent.
I've always been fond of the idea of ditching store-bought bread in favour of knowing what goes into ours. This little device may just make that happen. Although the loaves aren't huge, they're enough for our daily bread. And they take nearly no effort - while we're munching the last slice of one loaf, I can throw the ingredients for the next one in, and have it ready and waiting by the time we've digested the meal! A lot cheaper than the R8-11 per loaf in the shops too.
I see a bit of experimenting coming up. Raisin bread, honey and oats, wholewheat, perhaps even Norman's artistic creations!
Nice.... :-)
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Christmas Baking: Fruit Mince Pies
Why pay R16 or more for 6 fruit mince pies (that may or may not have been baked weeks ago) when these don't take a whole lot of effort and are ready in an hour?
Pastry:
This is a general shortcrust recipe I use for most pies.
4c flour
1 tsp salt
2c butter / margarine
50ml sugar (optional - I left it out because I made enough pastry to do savoury pies too)
1c ice water (you may need up to 2c, some flours absorb more than others)
1 Tbs lemon juice (if you use more water, just squirt some lemon juice into the extra water before adding)
Sift the flour and salt. Shave in the butter/marg - saves on trying to crumble large blocks of it, but make sure it's cold when you do so and use a sharp knife.
Using a fork, mash the butter up into the flour to form a crumbly mix.
Mix the ice water and lemon juice - if you're adding sugar, mix that in too.
Add a bit at a time to the dry ingredients, mixing with the fork until it all clings together but isn't too wet.
Dust your work surface with flour, tip out the pastry mix, dust with more floor and start rolling out. I use a half-broomstick handle, which by the way doubles up as my pasta roller thanks to an Italian tannie who showed me how to do so years ago.
Roll the pastry out to a couple of millimetres thick.
Use a round cookie cutter just a bit larger than whatever muffin pans you have lying around to cut rounds out of the pastry.
Give the muffin pans a squirt of non-stick spray, place the pastry rounds in them so there's a slight lip at the edges.
Drop a teaspoon of fruit mince mix into the centre of each.
From some of your leftover pastry, use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut out one star per pie.
Stick these on top of the fruit mince - no need to press them down.
Bake at 180C until nice and golden-brown, around 20 minutes.
When done, remove from their pans and dust liberally with caster sugar.
Allow to cool, and then munch away. Try to keep the boys away from them before you get a chance to have any... :-)
Pastry:
This is a general shortcrust recipe I use for most pies.
4c flour
1 tsp salt
2c butter / margarine
50ml sugar (optional - I left it out because I made enough pastry to do savoury pies too)
1c ice water (you may need up to 2c, some flours absorb more than others)
1 Tbs lemon juice (if you use more water, just squirt some lemon juice into the extra water before adding)
Sift the flour and salt. Shave in the butter/marg - saves on trying to crumble large blocks of it, but make sure it's cold when you do so and use a sharp knife.
Using a fork, mash the butter up into the flour to form a crumbly mix.
Mix the ice water and lemon juice - if you're adding sugar, mix that in too.
Add a bit at a time to the dry ingredients, mixing with the fork until it all clings together but isn't too wet.
Dust your work surface with flour, tip out the pastry mix, dust with more floor and start rolling out. I use a half-broomstick handle, which by the way doubles up as my pasta roller thanks to an Italian tannie who showed me how to do so years ago.
Roll the pastry out to a couple of millimetres thick.
Use a round cookie cutter just a bit larger than whatever muffin pans you have lying around to cut rounds out of the pastry.
Give the muffin pans a squirt of non-stick spray, place the pastry rounds in them so there's a slight lip at the edges.
Drop a teaspoon of fruit mince mix into the centre of each.
From some of your leftover pastry, use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut out one star per pie.
Stick these on top of the fruit mince - no need to press them down.
Bake at 180C until nice and golden-brown, around 20 minutes.
When done, remove from their pans and dust liberally with caster sugar.
Allow to cool, and then munch away. Try to keep the boys away from them before you get a chance to have any... :-)
Christmas Baking: Fruitcake
So you don't like fruitcake, you say. It's dry and tasteless and heavy as a brick. Well, you haven't tried THIS fruitcake! :-)
As with all my Xmas stuff, I left the baking thereof until a day and a half before Xmas - which is quite fine, but this cake stays fresh and moist for many months, un-refridgerated / un-frozen. If you have leftovers, merely seal them in a tupperware container.
This is a pretty forgiving recipe. You don't have to have exact measures of the fruit mix or dates - just throw things in approximately and take it from there (see below).
Mix together:
500g cake fruit mix
250g cherries
1 1/2 Tbs fruit mince
120g dates (or a pack around that weight)
1c brown sugar
1c (125g) margarine / butter
1/2 c water
I used a pre-mix of raisins, sultanas, peel, cherries and nuts - an entire kilo in lieu of the first two ingredients. I think I chucked in more dates than required too. See what I mean about a forgiving recipe?
Boil these together for 5 minutes, allow to cool. You can stick it in the microwave or in a pot on the stove - as long as everything melts together nicely.
Add 2 eggs, 1tsp bicarb, 1 1/2c flour, 1 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Mix it all together nicely, and you'll end up with a rich, dark, fruity batter.
Spray your baking dish with non-stick spray and pour in the batter - level it out. I've gone for a square one so it's easier to cut the cake into pieces, but you're welcome to use a round cake tin or pie plate - whatever you have that the batter will fit into with a bit of rising space.
Bake at around 150C for about an hour to an hour and a half. Keep an eye on it though - the edges like to cook quickly and may start to burn before the middle is done!
Near the end of the hour, start checking on it. Press the middle gently - when it no longer feels "sloppy", but is cake-firm, it's done.
Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool.
Once it's cool, remove from baking dish, and start to feed it liberally with brandy! :-) This one's already taken in a medium-sized half-bottle.
That's it. Quick, easy and lekker. We'll be serving ours with ice-cream on Xmas day.
Oh - there's one thing I forgot and was kicking myself for as it came out of the oven - mainly because time between mixing it up and baking it was around 4 hours thanks to running off on a job somewhere! (see change in lighting of pics above) Don't forget to throw a few clean coins into the mix before it goes in the pan - and warn your eaters so they don't choke on them or break any teeth.
As with all my Xmas stuff, I left the baking thereof until a day and a half before Xmas - which is quite fine, but this cake stays fresh and moist for many months, un-refridgerated / un-frozen. If you have leftovers, merely seal them in a tupperware container.
This is a pretty forgiving recipe. You don't have to have exact measures of the fruit mix or dates - just throw things in approximately and take it from there (see below).
Mix together:
500g cake fruit mix
250g cherries
1 1/2 Tbs fruit mince
120g dates (or a pack around that weight)
1c brown sugar
1c (125g) margarine / butter
1/2 c water
I used a pre-mix of raisins, sultanas, peel, cherries and nuts - an entire kilo in lieu of the first two ingredients. I think I chucked in more dates than required too. See what I mean about a forgiving recipe?
Boil these together for 5 minutes, allow to cool. You can stick it in the microwave or in a pot on the stove - as long as everything melts together nicely.
Add 2 eggs, 1tsp bicarb, 1 1/2c flour, 1 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Mix it all together nicely, and you'll end up with a rich, dark, fruity batter.
Spray your baking dish with non-stick spray and pour in the batter - level it out. I've gone for a square one so it's easier to cut the cake into pieces, but you're welcome to use a round cake tin or pie plate - whatever you have that the batter will fit into with a bit of rising space.
Bake at around 150C for about an hour to an hour and a half. Keep an eye on it though - the edges like to cook quickly and may start to burn before the middle is done!
Near the end of the hour, start checking on it. Press the middle gently - when it no longer feels "sloppy", but is cake-firm, it's done.
Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool.
Once it's cool, remove from baking dish, and start to feed it liberally with brandy! :-) This one's already taken in a medium-sized half-bottle.
That's it. Quick, easy and lekker. We'll be serving ours with ice-cream on Xmas day.
Oh - there's one thing I forgot and was kicking myself for as it came out of the oven - mainly because time between mixing it up and baking it was around 4 hours thanks to running off on a job somewhere! (see change in lighting of pics above) Don't forget to throw a few clean coins into the mix before it goes in the pan - and warn your eaters so they don't choke on them or break any teeth.
Of Food
We've been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution over the past few weeks, raising eyebrows at the habits of those across the sea, and raising eyebrows at our own not-the-best food habits too....
So every evening when I head out to do the grocery shopping, I trawl the fruit and veg section, looking for the best stuff I can find to feed my family with this show and a couple of others percolating in my head.
And I've come to one rather horrifying conclusion. We don't actually have a lot of variety in our shops. Yes, the fruit and veg aisles are filled up with stuff, but when you look at it (going through the mental image list) you have only:
What we have in our local supermarkets are close to mono-culture. Everyone sells the same stuff, likely from the same big farms, and there isn't much difference in varietals - no "heirloom" or "farmers market" goods, just things that have gone from commercial farm somewhere out there to packaging and distribution plant to us.
Which is why the farmer's market at Lourensford Estate may just need a visit from me sometime soon, connections with other local food-growers made.... and the pots out the front need to start sprouting a lot more edible landscaping. Who knows, perhaps I'll even get that vertical garden off the ground at last ('scuse the pun).
::update::
Check these out!
Home harvest from a backyard no-dig garden
Try no-dig gardening
So every evening when I head out to do the grocery shopping, I trawl the fruit and veg section, looking for the best stuff I can find to feed my family with this show and a couple of others percolating in my head.
And I've come to one rather horrifying conclusion. We don't actually have a lot of variety in our shops. Yes, the fruit and veg aisles are filled up with stuff, but when you look at it (going through the mental image list) you have only:
- Potatoes, Sweet potatoes
- Gemsquash and butternuts
- Onions, carrots
- Tomatoes x 2 varieties
- Lettuce, cucumber, mushrooms, peppers (the last two sometimes way too expensive, and the latter only eaten by myself)
- Very pricey little items like baby corn and fine green beans, small chilis and herbs (fall under "luxury items")
- Out-of-season fruits in expensive packaging (again "luxury items)
- Bananas, apples, sometimes a bit of citrus or a handful of things like kiwi fruit, granadillas, pawpaws, avos and pineapples
- Pre-packaged chopped veg of the above varieties
- Green beans, cauliflower (usually), brocolli (usually), baby marrows (sometimes).
What we have in our local supermarkets are close to mono-culture. Everyone sells the same stuff, likely from the same big farms, and there isn't much difference in varietals - no "heirloom" or "farmers market" goods, just things that have gone from commercial farm somewhere out there to packaging and distribution plant to us.
Which is why the farmer's market at Lourensford Estate may just need a visit from me sometime soon, connections with other local food-growers made.... and the pots out the front need to start sprouting a lot more edible landscaping. Who knows, perhaps I'll even get that vertical garden off the ground at last ('scuse the pun).
::update::
Check these out!
Home harvest from a backyard no-dig garden
Try no-dig gardening
Risen!
Yup, it's Easter. And while many of my friends and family are off to religious gatherings / camping / otherwise occupied with Eastery things, I'm baking.
What would Easter be without hot cross buns? ;-)
I used this recipe, but made a few changes along the way. Having done a fair bit of bread and yeast-type baking in the past few years, I changed the method - wet ingredients mixed together, raisins soaked in hot water before adding (to plump them up so they're not all dry and hard), and then beat in the flour one cup at a time. Why? Well it reduces kneading time considerably as the gluten's already forming while you beat flour and wet ingredients together.
One rise later, they were rolled into the pan and crossed off, then stuck at the back of the stove to rise again. The oven had been going great guns - a cheese and mushroom quiche was just done baking.
By the time the focaccia had cooked, the hot cross buns were ready to go in. 5 minutes into the process I got quite a fright - the crosses had disappeared! But they came back later as the buns baked and browned, and they came out of the oven ready to eat just as the last of lunch was swallowed.
Naturally, one bite and I started adjusting the recipe. They're definitely not as refined as the shop-bought stuff - the texture's coarser. They could have baked 3 minutes less to get a more doughy consistency. And the sugar content needed increasing.
So here's the adjusted recipe, courtesy me:
Hot Cross Buns
4-6 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 sachet instant dry yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cups sultanas (or mixed raisins) - soaked in boiling water to cover, then drained
3 Tbs smooth apricot jam
Topping:
1/2 cup cake flour
4 tsp castor sugar
cold water - enough to make a pipeable paste
Method:
1. Melt butter/margarine, mix in hand-hot milk, beat in egg, spices, yeast, sugar and raisins.
2. Beat in 1 cup of flour, continue adding flour 1 cup at a time until you have a stiff enough dough that you can throw it out the bowl and knead it - but not too stiff.
3. Knead on a floured surface until smooth but not too stiff and dry. Roll in a lightly oiled bowl to coat, then cover with a plastic shopping bag and let it rise until double in a warm place (the car out in the sun is good..).
4. Once risen, turn out, roll roughly into a "sausage" and slice into 16. Roll each into a sphere and pack into your greased / sprayed baking tray.
5. For paste: Mix all ingredients to a smooth paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small tube, and pipe crosses onto buns.
6. Bake at 200ºC for 20 minutes. Brush tops with hot jam while buns are still hot.
Very edible smothered in butter, jam and cheese - microwave the leftovers briefly next day to return them to their former glory and decrease any cooled-down-rock-hard effect.
What would Easter be without hot cross buns? ;-)
I used this recipe, but made a few changes along the way. Having done a fair bit of bread and yeast-type baking in the past few years, I changed the method - wet ingredients mixed together, raisins soaked in hot water before adding (to plump them up so they're not all dry and hard), and then beat in the flour one cup at a time. Why? Well it reduces kneading time considerably as the gluten's already forming while you beat flour and wet ingredients together.
One rise later, they were rolled into the pan and crossed off, then stuck at the back of the stove to rise again. The oven had been going great guns - a cheese and mushroom quiche was just done baking.
By the time the focaccia had cooked, the hot cross buns were ready to go in. 5 minutes into the process I got quite a fright - the crosses had disappeared! But they came back later as the buns baked and browned, and they came out of the oven ready to eat just as the last of lunch was swallowed.
Naturally, one bite and I started adjusting the recipe. They're definitely not as refined as the shop-bought stuff - the texture's coarser. They could have baked 3 minutes less to get a more doughy consistency. And the sugar content needed increasing.
So here's the adjusted recipe, courtesy me:
Hot Cross Buns
4-6 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 sachet instant dry yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cups sultanas (or mixed raisins) - soaked in boiling water to cover, then drained
3 Tbs smooth apricot jam
Topping:
1/2 cup cake flour
4 tsp castor sugar
cold water - enough to make a pipeable paste
Method:
1. Melt butter/margarine, mix in hand-hot milk, beat in egg, spices, yeast, sugar and raisins.
2. Beat in 1 cup of flour, continue adding flour 1 cup at a time until you have a stiff enough dough that you can throw it out the bowl and knead it - but not too stiff.
3. Knead on a floured surface until smooth but not too stiff and dry. Roll in a lightly oiled bowl to coat, then cover with a plastic shopping bag and let it rise until double in a warm place (the car out in the sun is good..).
4. Once risen, turn out, roll roughly into a "sausage" and slice into 16. Roll each into a sphere and pack into your greased / sprayed baking tray.
5. For paste: Mix all ingredients to a smooth paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small tube, and pipe crosses onto buns.
6. Bake at 200ºC for 20 minutes. Brush tops with hot jam while buns are still hot.
Very edible smothered in butter, jam and cheese - microwave the leftovers briefly next day to return them to their former glory and decrease any cooled-down-rock-hard effect.
Health and Happiness
Now that I'm home-based, I (technically) have more time to cook decent meals for our family (see the bread post further down). Practically it's not always the case - work never really stops, it just pauses to refuel if you remember to...
With this potential time available, I've found myself looking anew at what we need to eat, and noticing whether or not I'm getting enough exercise / water / fresh air / fruit & veg & protein. I have to admit some days are much better than others. Thursday was a SERIOUS fresh air, water and exercise day, spent half-way up the mountain doing work on a Cape Connect high site.
I'm being a little bit more concious about life and it's fuel lately. Yet still not completely there. I know the theory, yet putting into practice is taking some hard work.
Then there's the vegetarian vs carnivore thing. I grew up without meat, Favourite Man grew up with most known forms of animal life on his plate. My son won't touch anything that looks, smells or tastes remotely of beast (though has yet to discover the joys of modified soy in the veg products...!), nor even walk through the meat aisles on a shop run - yet also won't eat a variety of veggies. No-one's keen to change their habits, so mealtimes tend to need careful planning.
I think I've gotten the hang of cooking some of the meaty basics. I can dish up a mean bit of chicken, whether in a cream and mushroom sauce on pasta, or turned to moist perfection in a pan. I even managed to sort a Cornish Hen for Xmas to an acceptable level. I can do mince for spaghetti, fry up a pork sausage or a spiral of boerewors, but am not yet allowed near steak (too expensive to stuff up! :-) ). I can whip up a tuna bake with potatoes and brocolli and cauliflower. I've even made a slow-cooked beef stew by the seat of my pants last winter. Tonight was a veg-rich stir-fry with a touch of chicken thrown in, and it wasn't half bad.
But there is still a ways to go. I'd like to get us eating a whole lot better than we have been in the rush of days flying by, catering for both the veggies and the non-veggies.
So I'm throwing this one out to the public - yup, you guys. Consider it a challenge, a cook-off online, a chance to be your own Jamie or Nigella - your five seconds of fame.
If you had to throw a meal together that was delicious, nutritious, filling and looked awesome, what would you serve? Breakfast, lunch or supper - your choice.
Go on - spill the beans (or meat and potatoes) in the comments. I'll give it a try sometime (if I can find the ingredients) and post the results here.
With this potential time available, I've found myself looking anew at what we need to eat, and noticing whether or not I'm getting enough exercise / water / fresh air / fruit & veg & protein. I have to admit some days are much better than others. Thursday was a SERIOUS fresh air, water and exercise day, spent half-way up the mountain doing work on a Cape Connect high site.
I'm being a little bit more concious about life and it's fuel lately. Yet still not completely there. I know the theory, yet putting into practice is taking some hard work.
Then there's the vegetarian vs carnivore thing. I grew up without meat, Favourite Man grew up with most known forms of animal life on his plate. My son won't touch anything that looks, smells or tastes remotely of beast (though has yet to discover the joys of modified soy in the veg products...!), nor even walk through the meat aisles on a shop run - yet also won't eat a variety of veggies. No-one's keen to change their habits, so mealtimes tend to need careful planning.
I think I've gotten the hang of cooking some of the meaty basics. I can dish up a mean bit of chicken, whether in a cream and mushroom sauce on pasta, or turned to moist perfection in a pan. I even managed to sort a Cornish Hen for Xmas to an acceptable level. I can do mince for spaghetti, fry up a pork sausage or a spiral of boerewors, but am not yet allowed near steak (too expensive to stuff up! :-) ). I can whip up a tuna bake with potatoes and brocolli and cauliflower. I've even made a slow-cooked beef stew by the seat of my pants last winter. Tonight was a veg-rich stir-fry with a touch of chicken thrown in, and it wasn't half bad.
But there is still a ways to go. I'd like to get us eating a whole lot better than we have been in the rush of days flying by, catering for both the veggies and the non-veggies.
So I'm throwing this one out to the public - yup, you guys. Consider it a challenge, a cook-off online, a chance to be your own Jamie or Nigella - your five seconds of fame.
If you had to throw a meal together that was delicious, nutritious, filling and looked awesome, what would you serve? Breakfast, lunch or supper - your choice.
Go on - spill the beans (or meat and potatoes) in the comments. I'll give it a try sometime (if I can find the ingredients) and post the results here.
From Scratch
This weekend I did something I've been threatening to do for a very long time. I hauled out my favourite whole-wheat bread recipe and whipped up a loaf.
Yup, it's that easy. This is a no-knead, rise-once bread that turns out absolutely incredibly. It's filling, it's delicious, it's very very good for you.
I know EXACTLY what's going into my bread. No preservatives, no mystery ingredients like the shop-bought stuff has. It's low-fat with a mere tablespoon of sunflower oil per loaf. Yet it stays fresh for a few days - if it lasts that long. It's customizeable - you can add whatever nuts or seeds or raisins etc you want and turn it into something fancier. Me, well I had some linseed and sunflower seeds lying around, so stuck those on top. But that's it.
Saturday afternoon's loaf is long gone. Ingredients cost about the same as a normal shop-bought loaf, but half what I'd pay for "seed loaf". Now that I'm working from home I actually have time to mix it up, let it rise and bake it while doing other things. I'm very seriously considering making this our daily bread.
Give it a try, tell me what you think.
RECIPE: WHOLEWHEAT BREAD
1 kg Nutty Wheat (whole wheat) flour
2 c digestive bran
3 tsp yeast granules
4 c warm water (1 boiling to 3 cold) - approximately
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbs sunflower oil
2-4 Tbs honey
2 tsp salt
Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds etc to top
1. Mix flour and bran
2. Sprinkle yeast over 1 c of the warm water, add sugar, let rest until frothy
3. Add oil, honey and salt to the flour mix, stir in yeast mix and gradually add remaining water until dough has a heavy dropping consistency (depends on your flour, I used more water).
4. Divide the dough between two greased loaf pans, sprinkle with seeds and cover with a tea towel. Allow to rise for one hour or until doubled.
5. Bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.
6. Leave to cool in pans for a few minutes before turning out onto racks to cool completely.
Yup, it's that easy. This is a no-knead, rise-once bread that turns out absolutely incredibly. It's filling, it's delicious, it's very very good for you.
I know EXACTLY what's going into my bread. No preservatives, no mystery ingredients like the shop-bought stuff has. It's low-fat with a mere tablespoon of sunflower oil per loaf. Yet it stays fresh for a few days - if it lasts that long. It's customizeable - you can add whatever nuts or seeds or raisins etc you want and turn it into something fancier. Me, well I had some linseed and sunflower seeds lying around, so stuck those on top. But that's it.
Saturday afternoon's loaf is long gone. Ingredients cost about the same as a normal shop-bought loaf, but half what I'd pay for "seed loaf". Now that I'm working from home I actually have time to mix it up, let it rise and bake it while doing other things. I'm very seriously considering making this our daily bread.
Give it a try, tell me what you think.
RECIPE: WHOLEWHEAT BREAD
1 kg Nutty Wheat (whole wheat) flour
2 c digestive bran
3 tsp yeast granules
4 c warm water (1 boiling to 3 cold) - approximately
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbs sunflower oil
2-4 Tbs honey
2 tsp salt
Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds etc to top
1. Mix flour and bran
2. Sprinkle yeast over 1 c of the warm water, add sugar, let rest until frothy
3. Add oil, honey and salt to the flour mix, stir in yeast mix and gradually add remaining water until dough has a heavy dropping consistency (depends on your flour, I used more water).
4. Divide the dough between two greased loaf pans, sprinkle with seeds and cover with a tea towel. Allow to rise for one hour or until doubled.
5. Bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.
6. Leave to cool in pans for a few minutes before turning out onto racks to cool completely.
Don't Chew
When you were little, your mother had a couple of rules at the dinner table:
1. Keep your elbows off the table
2. Don't talk with your mouth full
3. Chew your food properly before you swallow it (or you'll choke)
Well they're all still good sense and manners, but there are some foods that simply must not be chewed.
1. Jello. That needs to be slowly sucked into the vacuum of your mouth, through/past your teeth, mulled around the tongue for a bit and then swallowed.
2. Milk. I'd like to see you try though.
3. Lindt dark chocolate.
The latter should NEVER be chewed! Place each expensively divine square on your tongue and let it melt until all that's left is the lingering aftertaste of heaven.
And then swallow.
Repeat.
Slowly.
Just like I'm doing with the few squares of Lindt I've been given moments ago.
Heaven.
1. Keep your elbows off the table
2. Don't talk with your mouth full
3. Chew your food properly before you swallow it (or you'll choke)
Well they're all still good sense and manners, but there are some foods that simply must not be chewed.
1. Jello. That needs to be slowly sucked into the vacuum of your mouth, through/past your teeth, mulled around the tongue for a bit and then swallowed.
2. Milk. I'd like to see you try though.
3. Lindt dark chocolate.
The latter should NEVER be chewed! Place each expensively divine square on your tongue and let it melt until all that's left is the lingering aftertaste of heaven.
And then swallow.
Repeat.
Slowly.
Just like I'm doing with the few squares of Lindt I've been given moments ago.
Heaven.
Damn!
It's lunchtime. I have leftover salad waiting for me, wilting in a tupperware container in the cupboard with my bag and laptop case.
And then the damn Food24 Newsletter comes in, laced with chocolate.
Right now this and this are looking VERY VERY tempting!!!!!
Must resist walking to Pick 'n Pay and buying chocolate.....
And then the damn Food24 Newsletter comes in, laced with chocolate.
Right now this and this are looking VERY VERY tempting!!!!!
Must resist walking to Pick 'n Pay and buying chocolate.....
Greening
I've been thinking. (Uh-oh, says half the world - knowing how dangerous that can be!)
It's time for me to start growing some of our food. I'm tired of merely waving at the fruit & veg section of Checkers, with things increasingly being way outside our budget. We're not getting nearly enough fresh stuff in, and we don't know where it's coming from when we do.
Now I can't go and grow chickens in my yard or stick a cow on the communal lawn, but the leafy stuff I can manage.
Talk of vertical gardening and plants in pots has me thinking long and hard about my available space, angles of sun at various seasons, work space vs un-used space and all sorts of other things.
And I've come up with a plan.
I need to practice my welding and/or woodworking skills, but that's going to happen really soon. Because I need to make a framework for a couple of vertical endeavours.
Like (for example) lengths of discarded plastic gutter pipe, blanked off at the ends, drainage holes added, filled with growth medium (soil, compost etc) and planted with things that don't need to go down too far. Then there's the hanging tomato plant idea I've been eyeing for ages. Easy enough to make, with added extras growing on top. My neighbours may be hanging flowers from their porches - me, I'm going to go edible landscaping. I've already got some herbs in pots out the front and one strawberry plant that has given us 2 strawberries this season. Bit on the small-scale-farming side, but nevertheless :-)
If I want to go a bit bigger, I could do the Mediterranean thing and put a lemon tree in a terracotta planter. Or an apple tree. Or an olive tree. A lack of soil on my plot doesn't mean I can't grow anything! Just take a look at the weeds pushing up between brick and wall on one side.. :-)
Then there's the kitchen windowsill vs herbs - always a good idea, except for the darn southeaster which may knock the plants into the sink. Hmmm... may need to rethink that.
Here's the thing though - I'm tired of not having a lot of fresh food around. Of not being able to pick half my supper from outside the door. Of not knowing where my food's come from, who's handled it, or how ripe it was when they prematurely plucked it from the plant and stuck it under nitrogen to ripen it. I'm tired of tasteless and wilted and expensive.
Summer's coming - 'tis the season for being outdoors and growing stuff without the winter rain washing it all away. I know where to find just about everything I need free of charge. There's really no excuses - time to get to it.
Best thing of all? It's portable. If I have to up and go places, my garden goes too.
It's time for me to start growing some of our food. I'm tired of merely waving at the fruit & veg section of Checkers, with things increasingly being way outside our budget. We're not getting nearly enough fresh stuff in, and we don't know where it's coming from when we do.
Now I can't go and grow chickens in my yard or stick a cow on the communal lawn, but the leafy stuff I can manage.
Talk of vertical gardening and plants in pots has me thinking long and hard about my available space, angles of sun at various seasons, work space vs un-used space and all sorts of other things.
And I've come up with a plan.
I need to practice my welding and/or woodworking skills, but that's going to happen really soon. Because I need to make a framework for a couple of vertical endeavours.
Like (for example) lengths of discarded plastic gutter pipe, blanked off at the ends, drainage holes added, filled with growth medium (soil, compost etc) and planted with things that don't need to go down too far. Then there's the hanging tomato plant idea I've been eyeing for ages. Easy enough to make, with added extras growing on top. My neighbours may be hanging flowers from their porches - me, I'm going to go edible landscaping. I've already got some herbs in pots out the front and one strawberry plant that has given us 2 strawberries this season. Bit on the small-scale-farming side, but nevertheless :-)
If I want to go a bit bigger, I could do the Mediterranean thing and put a lemon tree in a terracotta planter. Or an apple tree. Or an olive tree. A lack of soil on my plot doesn't mean I can't grow anything! Just take a look at the weeds pushing up between brick and wall on one side.. :-)
Then there's the kitchen windowsill vs herbs - always a good idea, except for the darn southeaster which may knock the plants into the sink. Hmmm... may need to rethink that.
Here's the thing though - I'm tired of not having a lot of fresh food around. Of not being able to pick half my supper from outside the door. Of not knowing where my food's come from, who's handled it, or how ripe it was when they prematurely plucked it from the plant and stuck it under nitrogen to ripen it. I'm tired of tasteless and wilted and expensive.
Summer's coming - 'tis the season for being outdoors and growing stuff without the winter rain washing it all away. I know where to find just about everything I need free of charge. There's really no excuses - time to get to it.
Best thing of all? It's portable. If I have to up and go places, my garden goes too.
Calamata
Oh, stuff the crisis. It's way too draining to think about all day. Time for a brief foray into other things.
So... for the record, here's a juicy bit of news (literally). This year we discovered a bearing black olive tree in the back yard of an empty residence in our complex. We persuaded the caretaker to give us access, stripped the ripe olives (as many as we could reach), and the quest was on to turn them into edible!
I'm happy to report my efforts were a resounding success. I now have a cupboard full of plump, juicy, calamata-style black olives, which we can happily eat by the handful without worrying about cost. They pit perfectly too - major bonus (there's nothing as irritating as an olive that won't pit when you stick in the olive poker thing).
I've just had my usual leftover salad for lunch. Tomato, lettuce, feta blocks and home-cured olives (with last night's leftover broccoli thrown in, then all marinated in salad dressing overnight until nice and soggy ;-) ). Damn, those olives are lekker!
Now - what can I try next?
So... for the record, here's a juicy bit of news (literally). This year we discovered a bearing black olive tree in the back yard of an empty residence in our complex. We persuaded the caretaker to give us access, stripped the ripe olives (as many as we could reach), and the quest was on to turn them into edible!
I'm happy to report my efforts were a resounding success. I now have a cupboard full of plump, juicy, calamata-style black olives, which we can happily eat by the handful without worrying about cost. They pit perfectly too - major bonus (there's nothing as irritating as an olive that won't pit when you stick in the olive poker thing).
I've just had my usual leftover salad for lunch. Tomato, lettuce, feta blocks and home-cured olives (with last night's leftover broccoli thrown in, then all marinated in salad dressing overnight until nice and soggy ;-) ). Damn, those olives are lekker!
Now - what can I try next?
HDVG
Now this idea I can dig! Well... actually, you don't have to.
High Density Vertical Growth. Veggies on a wall, so to speak. Perhaps a bit more technical than that though - veggies growing in pockets on a transparent sheet, stuck on a conveyor belt system for optimized light use, and fed scientifically-calculated nutrients, more like it! :-) But still - think of the possibilities... especially if you have no real garden to speak of, like I do.
Many "progressive" type companies are installing green walls / living walls in their offices and buildings. Not only are they peace-inducing, but they deaden noise, clear the air, and generally make the place nicer to live in. Add a couple tomato plants and you can even feed the workers.
When you're short on ground space (and ground!), the best way is up.
All of which are pretty high-tech if you ask me, but it's got me pondering. Why have plain old cement walls around your little plot of land when you can use a few of these, a couple bags of soil and a little natural drainage to green up the place / grow your own food?
- Image credit
Chicken and Two Veg
I'm generally a vegetarian. Or let me put it this way - my food of choice is vegetarian, but I will eat meat if I have to (just not red meat). I've stuck to chicken mainly - and wherever possible free-range chicken (as I try to with free-range eggs).
But I haven't really given much in-depth thought as to what exactly is going down in the chicken-farming industry.
Until I watched this series: Hugh's Chicken Run. If you can get your hands on it, please do watch it. It's a complete eye-opener.
I know it only focuses on one aspect of meat production, and that all this and more is happening in getting your steak, your pork chops or your lamb to the table. Meat is very "anonymous", sitting there wrapped in plastic on a styrofoam bed. There's no hint of the shape of the animal it came from - it's just a pile of "stuff". But it has been scientifically proven that a happy animal gives better meat - that an animal that lives and dies well will not only taste better, but will not be passing on all sorts of crazy chemicals to you when you put it in your mouth.
I know we can't change the world. There will always be intensive farming methods that leave animals a lot worse for wear. There will always be those with no conscience when it comes to ethical food production. There will always be those who put profit above product.
And it's not just the chicken.
Do you know where your veggies come from? Last week I saw cherries in the shops. It certainly isn't cherry season here - not for a good few months. Which means those are imports and chewed up some of the atmosphere getting here. I have no idea where they were grown.
Same thing for most veg - they end up looking nothing like the plants they come from, lying under plastic on a styrofoam bed - just like their meaty cousins on our tables. Most are no longer seasonal - you'll get tomatoes in winter just as easily as in summer (although perhaps at a greater price).
Having your own veg garden isn't for everyone, but you can bet your local small grocer is sourcing things much closer to home than the huge chains. If you're lucky, you may even have a farmer's market nearby.
Knowing where your food comes from is only the first step - knowing what goes into it is the next. With veggies, it's sometimes anyone's guess. There's the old "genetically modified" argument, there's the pesticides and fertilizers - all indications of an unhealthy farming practice that relies more on artificial growing conditions than naturally-produced anything.
Ideally, we should all be eating local, organic food - whether that's fruit, veg or meat. We should know how it got to our tables and what went into making it grow (up). Convenience shopping puts paid to that when you're not eating mindfully.
But today this vegetarian is on a one-chick ('scuse the pun) mission - urging you to think about your food and where it comes from.
But I haven't really given much in-depth thought as to what exactly is going down in the chicken-farming industry.
Until I watched this series: Hugh's Chicken Run. If you can get your hands on it, please do watch it. It's a complete eye-opener.
I know it only focuses on one aspect of meat production, and that all this and more is happening in getting your steak, your pork chops or your lamb to the table. Meat is very "anonymous", sitting there wrapped in plastic on a styrofoam bed. There's no hint of the shape of the animal it came from - it's just a pile of "stuff". But it has been scientifically proven that a happy animal gives better meat - that an animal that lives and dies well will not only taste better, but will not be passing on all sorts of crazy chemicals to you when you put it in your mouth.
I know we can't change the world. There will always be intensive farming methods that leave animals a lot worse for wear. There will always be those with no conscience when it comes to ethical food production. There will always be those who put profit above product.
And it's not just the chicken.
Do you know where your veggies come from? Last week I saw cherries in the shops. It certainly isn't cherry season here - not for a good few months. Which means those are imports and chewed up some of the atmosphere getting here. I have no idea where they were grown.
Same thing for most veg - they end up looking nothing like the plants they come from, lying under plastic on a styrofoam bed - just like their meaty cousins on our tables. Most are no longer seasonal - you'll get tomatoes in winter just as easily as in summer (although perhaps at a greater price).
Having your own veg garden isn't for everyone, but you can bet your local small grocer is sourcing things much closer to home than the huge chains. If you're lucky, you may even have a farmer's market nearby.
Knowing where your food comes from is only the first step - knowing what goes into it is the next. With veggies, it's sometimes anyone's guess. There's the old "genetically modified" argument, there's the pesticides and fertilizers - all indications of an unhealthy farming practice that relies more on artificial growing conditions than naturally-produced anything.
Ideally, we should all be eating local, organic food - whether that's fruit, veg or meat. We should know how it got to our tables and what went into making it grow (up). Convenience shopping puts paid to that when you're not eating mindfully.
But today this vegetarian is on a one-chick ('scuse the pun) mission - urging you to think about your food and where it comes from.
Rethinking the Noodles
It just struck me forcibly (I'm sometimes a bit slow on the uptake) that I don't look closely enough at my food labels.
You know that whole "poison pet food from China" thing that now appears to have gotten into farmed fish, chickens etc too? Well, being vegetarian I didn't give it much mind. And my dogs are on Pedigree, which is apparently "safe".
But just scrolled through a blog and read about issues that go way beyond meat. From juices and food colour to all sorts of other bits. Which is kinda scary.
I mean - how often do I really take a good look at the "Made In..." label? Things like 2-minute noodles - random example. Who knows what's in those things, and where half the ingredients have come from!
And how many times do I closely examine the ingredients list at all? I'm not sensitive to much, so don't do nearly enough label-reading.
Late last year I started making a serious move toward organic, locally-grown foods and not eating anything unless I knew what was in it. That petered out slightly in favour of convenience, but I think I need to take another good hard look at my diet, at what we're sticking in our faces - and where it comes from. Not just randomly grab things off shelves when shopping, but do this one with thought and advance planning, working toward keeping my body as healthy as possible from the inside out. Perhaps chuck the noodles altogether...? I do know how to make pasta by hand, veggies grow well in pots - and that's looking like a whole better option right now!
You know that whole "poison pet food from China" thing that now appears to have gotten into farmed fish, chickens etc too? Well, being vegetarian I didn't give it much mind. And my dogs are on Pedigree, which is apparently "safe".
But just scrolled through a blog and read about issues that go way beyond meat. From juices and food colour to all sorts of other bits. Which is kinda scary.
I mean - how often do I really take a good look at the "Made In..." label? Things like 2-minute noodles - random example. Who knows what's in those things, and where half the ingredients have come from!
And how many times do I closely examine the ingredients list at all? I'm not sensitive to much, so don't do nearly enough label-reading.
Late last year I started making a serious move toward organic, locally-grown foods and not eating anything unless I knew what was in it. That petered out slightly in favour of convenience, but I think I need to take another good hard look at my diet, at what we're sticking in our faces - and where it comes from. Not just randomly grab things off shelves when shopping, but do this one with thought and advance planning, working toward keeping my body as healthy as possible from the inside out. Perhaps chuck the noodles altogether...? I do know how to make pasta by hand, veggies grow well in pots - and that's looking like a whole better option right now!
What was good about today
I know there's a song or a movie or a musical group or something by that name. But it's rather appropriate to this particular Friday, cos a lot of good stuff happened.
Actually, it started last night with something (unbloggable) and just carried on from there with another couple somethings that kept me grinning all day (still unbloggable.. sorry ;-) ) - but before this turns into an entire post about not much of anything, let me list the things that ARE bloggable.
I'm settling in at the new job (bit of a longer commute this morning thanks to heavy rain and one traffic light out - remind me to get a car with a heater and/or window defroster. Lights would be nice too!). There's a ways to go in getting to know my colleagues (I'm shy, so have to work up courage to connect with others sometimes), but I've starting in on some of the stuff I was hired to do. With looming deadlines and all! I'm still feeling my way, but getting the hang of the company, the products, and how things work a little better than I did yesterday. Today I found the boiling water dispenser and made some tea!
HOWEVER - I still need to sort out the whole meals thing. I tend to get so busy I don't eat, or don't feel like eating.. and then I come home and am too tired to make an effort. Tonight it was merely avo toast (and one small choccie to celebrate what's in the next paragraph). I did get some fruit in at lunchtime, and a lot of water during the day, but I need to get the pack-a-lunch routine sorted before I kill myself. I'm not going to fall into the buy-your-lunch trap.
So.. this paragraph. Right after work I went to have a walk-through of the house I drove past yesterday. From the security gate I already had a good vibe. Walking through the front door I almost said "we'll take it" without seeing anything else. It's not that it's fantastically great - but it's just what we need now, at a price I can afford. It's a great starter. Before I'd even got out of my car I ran into someone I know (neighbours!) - no, not literally, silly.... The complex is busy but quiet, well-kept and orderly, and right down the road is a big Landy with an Overland sticker - only the second I've seen! Here's something funny about that. I've stuck Overland stickers on both the Landy and the Ford, hoping to spot another forum member on the roads, but for months there's been nothing. Yesterday I walked out the front door from my new work, and there was a Landy with an Overland sticker sitting right in front of me. Today I go look at a house, and spot another! Sjoe! Anyhoo.... it's a 2-bedroom duplex with enough space for the 2 of us. Bricked yards front and back, but pet-friendly. Sliding security gate at front, room to park 3 cars (seriously considering putting up cover over part of it, with permission), dog friendly (though may still try rehome the two beasts). The complex comes with a pool and a load of kids my son's age. It has a great feel to it, and it's in exactly the spot I was hoping for with regards to post-school transport. Safe enough that my son can do his own thing over holidays without me worrying. It's missing a few things that were on my wishlist (ADSL line, lock-up garage, 3rd bedroom, real soil & greenery garden), but for now it's good. Having said that, this weekend I'm chucking out a lot of stuff that I don't plan to take with - and may organize sale of some bulky furniture to a second-hand shop, with an eye on an upgrade.
And then I came home to find I can actually log in to my internet banking, and have received a boost to my accounts thanks to salary payments from two places. Nice! I suddenly feel rich.. :-) Of course much of it is going toward moving, rent, and a few other essentials. But there's enough left over for a few good things. Including starting us off on the road I've hoped for toward the future. Financial recovery, and living instead of surviving.
Before I forget - my son had a good day too. It was supposed to be sports day, but when the school saw the immense amounts of rain coming down they sent everyone home at 9! So he had an off-day instead and spent it hanging around on the internet. (I think he's doing pretty well coming home on his own, actually enjoying it...sshhh.. :-) )
The good day continues with hearing a voice that makes me happy, savouring an Inside Story chocolate as a treat, and the fact that it's Friday! Weekend! Sleeping in! OK, perhaps not sleeping in TOO late - got some papers to sign for that house and many boxes to fill.
I seem to be running on adrenalin again tonight - two in a row - makes for late nights, matchstick-open eyes, an urge to fidget, and the occasional acting out of character. Or perhaps that's just the effects of a "natural energy boost" vitamin supplement I decided to start taking 2 days ago..? What do they put in these things??? :-)
Actually, it started last night with something (unbloggable) and just carried on from there with another couple somethings that kept me grinning all day (still unbloggable.. sorry ;-) ) - but before this turns into an entire post about not much of anything, let me list the things that ARE bloggable.
I'm settling in at the new job (bit of a longer commute this morning thanks to heavy rain and one traffic light out - remind me to get a car with a heater and/or window defroster. Lights would be nice too!). There's a ways to go in getting to know my colleagues (I'm shy, so have to work up courage to connect with others sometimes), but I've starting in on some of the stuff I was hired to do. With looming deadlines and all! I'm still feeling my way, but getting the hang of the company, the products, and how things work a little better than I did yesterday. Today I found the boiling water dispenser and made some tea!
HOWEVER - I still need to sort out the whole meals thing. I tend to get so busy I don't eat, or don't feel like eating.. and then I come home and am too tired to make an effort. Tonight it was merely avo toast (and one small choccie to celebrate what's in the next paragraph). I did get some fruit in at lunchtime, and a lot of water during the day, but I need to get the pack-a-lunch routine sorted before I kill myself. I'm not going to fall into the buy-your-lunch trap.
So.. this paragraph. Right after work I went to have a walk-through of the house I drove past yesterday. From the security gate I already had a good vibe. Walking through the front door I almost said "we'll take it" without seeing anything else. It's not that it's fantastically great - but it's just what we need now, at a price I can afford. It's a great starter. Before I'd even got out of my car I ran into someone I know (neighbours!) - no, not literally, silly.... The complex is busy but quiet, well-kept and orderly, and right down the road is a big Landy with an Overland sticker - only the second I've seen! Here's something funny about that. I've stuck Overland stickers on both the Landy and the Ford, hoping to spot another forum member on the roads, but for months there's been nothing. Yesterday I walked out the front door from my new work, and there was a Landy with an Overland sticker sitting right in front of me. Today I go look at a house, and spot another! Sjoe! Anyhoo.... it's a 2-bedroom duplex with enough space for the 2 of us. Bricked yards front and back, but pet-friendly. Sliding security gate at front, room to park 3 cars (seriously considering putting up cover over part of it, with permission), dog friendly (though may still try rehome the two beasts). The complex comes with a pool and a load of kids my son's age. It has a great feel to it, and it's in exactly the spot I was hoping for with regards to post-school transport. Safe enough that my son can do his own thing over holidays without me worrying. It's missing a few things that were on my wishlist (ADSL line, lock-up garage, 3rd bedroom, real soil & greenery garden), but for now it's good. Having said that, this weekend I'm chucking out a lot of stuff that I don't plan to take with - and may organize sale of some bulky furniture to a second-hand shop, with an eye on an upgrade.
And then I came home to find I can actually log in to my internet banking, and have received a boost to my accounts thanks to salary payments from two places. Nice! I suddenly feel rich.. :-) Of course much of it is going toward moving, rent, and a few other essentials. But there's enough left over for a few good things. Including starting us off on the road I've hoped for toward the future. Financial recovery, and living instead of surviving.
Before I forget - my son had a good day too. It was supposed to be sports day, but when the school saw the immense amounts of rain coming down they sent everyone home at 9! So he had an off-day instead and spent it hanging around on the internet. (I think he's doing pretty well coming home on his own, actually enjoying it...sshhh.. :-) )
The good day continues with hearing a voice that makes me happy, savouring an Inside Story chocolate as a treat, and the fact that it's Friday! Weekend! Sleeping in! OK, perhaps not sleeping in TOO late - got some papers to sign for that house and many boxes to fill.
I seem to be running on adrenalin again tonight - two in a row - makes for late nights, matchstick-open eyes, an urge to fidget, and the occasional acting out of character. Or perhaps that's just the effects of a "natural energy boost" vitamin supplement I decided to start taking 2 days ago..? What do they put in these things??? :-)
Friday, March 23, 2007
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Comfort Food
Winter is perfect for comfort food. So are those moments when you need "comforting"! :-) But comfort food isn't the same for everyone.
Some indulge in chocolate and sweets.
Some carbo-load.
Me - well I like the savoury stuff. A thick tomato/veg soup with fresh hot bread, real butter slathered on great big chunks of it. Curry and rice. Pita-pizza topped with garlic, rosemary, feta and olive oil - hot out of the oven (and home-made of course, from scratch).
Tonight it was my absolute favourite. Here's how you do it:
1. Butter a slice of bread. Top with a few slices of your favourite really good cheddar cheese (uncoloured, tangy and melts beautifully).
2. Top that with sliced sweet & sour cucumber-pickles (no, put those yukky dill things away).
3. Butter another slice, and place that face-down on top of the pickles.
4. Slather the other side of slice 2 with butter. Add another layer of cheese.
5. Butter a third slice, stick it face-down on the cheese layer and give it a bit of a press to meld the thing together. In other words you now have a triple-decker cheese & pickle sarmie.
6. Now stick that in the microwave for precisely one minute, until the cheese melts and the pickles are piping.
THAT'S comfort food!
(and so is the Rooibos Chai I'm finishing off with)
Some indulge in chocolate and sweets.
Some carbo-load.
Me - well I like the savoury stuff. A thick tomato/veg soup with fresh hot bread, real butter slathered on great big chunks of it. Curry and rice. Pita-pizza topped with garlic, rosemary, feta and olive oil - hot out of the oven (and home-made of course, from scratch).
Tonight it was my absolute favourite. Here's how you do it:
1. Butter a slice of bread. Top with a few slices of your favourite really good cheddar cheese (uncoloured, tangy and melts beautifully).
2. Top that with sliced sweet & sour cucumber-pickles (no, put those yukky dill things away).
3. Butter another slice, and place that face-down on top of the pickles.
4. Slather the other side of slice 2 with butter. Add another layer of cheese.
5. Butter a third slice, stick it face-down on the cheese layer and give it a bit of a press to meld the thing together. In other words you now have a triple-decker cheese & pickle sarmie.
6. Now stick that in the microwave for precisely one minute, until the cheese melts and the pickles are piping.
THAT'S comfort food!
(and so is the Rooibos Chai I'm finishing off with)
Varietal Vagaries
So there I was - standing in front of rows of wine bottles (happened to pass by on my way to other things in the shops), and it strikes me. I have absolutely no clue how to decipher from the many varieties what tastes good and what doesn't!
Thing is this - I've never been a wine person. Although I live smack-bang in the middle of an awesome wine region, the last time I tasted wine was when our class went to go see how it was made back in Tech days (I've always loved the smell of a winery in grape picking/squashing season). And I certainly didn't like wine then. OK, except for Delheim Pinotage Rose, but can't quite remember why.
Hmmm - correction. Previous statement is perhaps not entirely true - I had a miniscule sip of a few types recently and didn't like most of them. And a mouthful of dry red (or so) which I also didn't like that much but could swallow if required (provided it came with dark chocolate).
But then I did find one or two I could live with - white wines more sweet than dry, one with a wonderfully distinct apricot aftertaste (which even an uneducated palate such as myself could appreciate), and another that was labelled "naturally sweet light" (ie had been watered down with grape juice and had minimal alcohol). When it comes to champagne I prefer the sweet JC le Roux to the expensive dry stuff.
So there I was - standing in front of the wine section, looking at labels. And thought I'd throw it out to the general public. I know it's a case of each to his own, some like it so dry your gills curl up, others prefer Gewurztraminer (like me - see I know one!!! :-) ) and things that don't dehydrate your mouth.
But what makes a good wine? What's the difference between Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage, and those just labelled Red or White? What's up with Merlot and Bordeaux, Port and Chardonnay? I realize ageing in oak can give a certain taste, and many of the bottles have descriptions that include fruits, herbs or what would normally be scents. Some are drink-right-away, others are leave-for-a-bit. Then you get the stuff in boxes (which I understand is not a good thing). But again, I have a totally uneducated palate. That said, I may not know much, but I DO know South Africa produces some of the best.
Consider this a virtual wine-tasting session! Spill it - enlighten me. And if there's not enough room in comments, feel free to drop me an email extolling the virtues of this or that. Heck - if you're in the area, go show me! :-)
Thing is this - I've never been a wine person. Although I live smack-bang in the middle of an awesome wine region, the last time I tasted wine was when our class went to go see how it was made back in Tech days (I've always loved the smell of a winery in grape picking/squashing season). And I certainly didn't like wine then. OK, except for Delheim Pinotage Rose, but can't quite remember why.
Hmmm - correction. Previous statement is perhaps not entirely true - I had a miniscule sip of a few types recently and didn't like most of them. And a mouthful of dry red (or so) which I also didn't like that much but could swallow if required (provided it came with dark chocolate).
But then I did find one or two I could live with - white wines more sweet than dry, one with a wonderfully distinct apricot aftertaste (which even an uneducated palate such as myself could appreciate), and another that was labelled "naturally sweet light" (ie had been watered down with grape juice and had minimal alcohol). When it comes to champagne I prefer the sweet JC le Roux to the expensive dry stuff.
So there I was - standing in front of the wine section, looking at labels. And thought I'd throw it out to the general public. I know it's a case of each to his own, some like it so dry your gills curl up, others prefer Gewurztraminer (like me - see I know one!!! :-) ) and things that don't dehydrate your mouth.
But what makes a good wine? What's the difference between Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage, and those just labelled Red or White? What's up with Merlot and Bordeaux, Port and Chardonnay? I realize ageing in oak can give a certain taste, and many of the bottles have descriptions that include fruits, herbs or what would normally be scents. Some are drink-right-away, others are leave-for-a-bit. Then you get the stuff in boxes (which I understand is not a good thing). But again, I have a totally uneducated palate. That said, I may not know much, but I DO know South Africa produces some of the best.
Consider this a virtual wine-tasting session! Spill it - enlighten me. And if there's not enough room in comments, feel free to drop me an email extolling the virtues of this or that. Heck - if you're in the area, go show me! :-)
Feed your Face
I've found myself noticing some interesting things lately...
My American friend (who was here over the holidays) complained that he can't find healthy food back home. My Australian friend confirmed it (having spent some time in the USA studying) - and I remember how long I searched to find non-instant oats to make my own granola (unsuccessfully). American friend is having to go on a very strict healthy-eating plan to aid in some serious medical treatments he needs. He was worried he wouldn't find what was required easily.
That got me eying some of my USA magazines I have lying around - like Better Homes & Gardens. And I've noticed how much of the food is completely pre-processed. "Making something from scratch" doesn't involve individual ingredients, rather pre-made this and pre-made that, mixed together in a combination other than the one recommended on the box. (Before my American readers crucify me, remember this is my view - from far away. Your reality may be different!)
I've also noticed a number of articles online recently about the serious health issues many Americans are facing - and how these are taking over countries that usually have pretty healthy lifestyles as American influence spreads. France is fattening on McDonalds - Coke is the "drink of choice" from affluent neighbourhoods to the poorest slums across the planet.
Farming has taken on a different hue too - monoculture leeches from the environment, requiring crops to be fertilized and sprayed and modified until there's very little of the original left in it. Then it's transported so far across the globe that by the time it gets to your table there's hardly any taste or nutrition left. Many farms are devoted to providing animal feed - lower quality foods that end up in the meat that is eaten, along with whatever's been pumped into the animal to produce more muscle and less of everything else.
To tell the truth, it concerns me. I don't want to plug my body full of things that will do more harm than good (I refuse to eat meat, but I'm not compromising on veggies either!). I don't want to support practices that are only helping destroy the planet. And I worry for the human race, plagued with disease, pollution, and all manner of ills (which are really all our fault!).
This year on my to-do list is a seriously hard look at what goes into our bodies. My veggie garden is already doing well, and we'll be eating close to the earth for quite a few things. I've started noticing packaging and labels on what I buy. I've avoided fresh things out of season and steered toward organic locally-grown. There's more that must be done, and a lot still to learn.
I can't cure the world's ills, but I am going to make sure I care for my son and myself in the best way possible. We're cutting out the processed stuff, learning about where our food comes from and keeping it real. We've never been a fast-food family, but everything we do is getting a good hard look-at. We're taking responsibility this year for what fuels our bodies, and not simply absorbing whatever comes along.
Now go check this out.
My American friend (who was here over the holidays) complained that he can't find healthy food back home. My Australian friend confirmed it (having spent some time in the USA studying) - and I remember how long I searched to find non-instant oats to make my own granola (unsuccessfully). American friend is having to go on a very strict healthy-eating plan to aid in some serious medical treatments he needs. He was worried he wouldn't find what was required easily.
That got me eying some of my USA magazines I have lying around - like Better Homes & Gardens. And I've noticed how much of the food is completely pre-processed. "Making something from scratch" doesn't involve individual ingredients, rather pre-made this and pre-made that, mixed together in a combination other than the one recommended on the box. (Before my American readers crucify me, remember this is my view - from far away. Your reality may be different!)
I've also noticed a number of articles online recently about the serious health issues many Americans are facing - and how these are taking over countries that usually have pretty healthy lifestyles as American influence spreads. France is fattening on McDonalds - Coke is the "drink of choice" from affluent neighbourhoods to the poorest slums across the planet.
Farming has taken on a different hue too - monoculture leeches from the environment, requiring crops to be fertilized and sprayed and modified until there's very little of the original left in it. Then it's transported so far across the globe that by the time it gets to your table there's hardly any taste or nutrition left. Many farms are devoted to providing animal feed - lower quality foods that end up in the meat that is eaten, along with whatever's been pumped into the animal to produce more muscle and less of everything else.
To tell the truth, it concerns me. I don't want to plug my body full of things that will do more harm than good (I refuse to eat meat, but I'm not compromising on veggies either!). I don't want to support practices that are only helping destroy the planet. And I worry for the human race, plagued with disease, pollution, and all manner of ills (which are really all our fault!).
This year on my to-do list is a seriously hard look at what goes into our bodies. My veggie garden is already doing well, and we'll be eating close to the earth for quite a few things. I've started noticing packaging and labels on what I buy. I've avoided fresh things out of season and steered toward organic locally-grown. There's more that must be done, and a lot still to learn.
I can't cure the world's ills, but I am going to make sure I care for my son and myself in the best way possible. We're cutting out the processed stuff, learning about where our food comes from and keeping it real. We've never been a fast-food family, but everything we do is getting a good hard look-at. We're taking responsibility this year for what fuels our bodies, and not simply absorbing whatever comes along.
Now go check this out.
All Rawed Out
Being a lekker hot summer day today, the kind where I usually forget to eat or simply eat the fruity type stuff, I decided I'd go "raw food & water" today. I wasn't all that hungry for breakfast, so fruit went down well - plums, litchis, a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice, organic white grapes. All good and well, and most delicious!
But that's the kind of thing that digest reallly fast.. and by late morning I was starting to feel very hungry. One apple later, and I realized that when you start telling yourself you're not going to eat something, you START CRAVING IT!!! In a BIG way. If you're going raw, you want cooked - nice cooked, healthy cooked, but cooked. I had visions of roast potatoes, brown rice and lentils, cottage cheese loaf (a vegetarian delight - I guess it goes by "Special K loaf" in the USA). And things in my fridge - camembert and green fig preserve! Even the stuff I wanted to drink doesn't quite qualify.
But I perservered. If one cannot keep to a single day of raw foods, what kind of willpower is that?
So it was a massive salad for lunch, which did - admittedly - fill me up reasonably well. (I convinced myself that green olives are raw, so threw a few in, and dressed it with definitely-raw olive oil, lemon juice and salt)
Mid-afternoon - carrots, whole, sweet, munched out the fridge.
But now it's supper time, and I'm kinda hungry. It's also gotten cold, so soup is sounding very tempting. But soup is cooked, so it's out. Heck, it's only ONE day! Let me stick with the programme!
So I'm filling up chammomile tea. Warm enough - and without sugar or milk it qualifies as almost-raw.
If I were ever to do raw-food on a lengthy basis, it would take some doing..! Instead, I'll go for the occasional cooked-free day, keep plugging in loads of water, and simply stick to a healthy, balanced vegetarian diet. It's what I know, though I'm still learning the best way to go about it (ie more good stuff, less slacking off and eating whatever's around).
Between now and then, here's to tea..!
But that's the kind of thing that digest reallly fast.. and by late morning I was starting to feel very hungry. One apple later, and I realized that when you start telling yourself you're not going to eat something, you START CRAVING IT!!! In a BIG way. If you're going raw, you want cooked - nice cooked, healthy cooked, but cooked. I had visions of roast potatoes, brown rice and lentils, cottage cheese loaf (a vegetarian delight - I guess it goes by "Special K loaf" in the USA). And things in my fridge - camembert and green fig preserve! Even the stuff I wanted to drink doesn't quite qualify.
But I perservered. If one cannot keep to a single day of raw foods, what kind of willpower is that?
So it was a massive salad for lunch, which did - admittedly - fill me up reasonably well. (I convinced myself that green olives are raw, so threw a few in, and dressed it with definitely-raw olive oil, lemon juice and salt)
Mid-afternoon - carrots, whole, sweet, munched out the fridge.
But now it's supper time, and I'm kinda hungry. It's also gotten cold, so soup is sounding very tempting. But soup is cooked, so it's out. Heck, it's only ONE day! Let me stick with the programme!
So I'm filling up chammomile tea. Warm enough - and without sugar or milk it qualifies as almost-raw.
If I were ever to do raw-food on a lengthy basis, it would take some doing..! Instead, I'll go for the occasional cooked-free day, keep plugging in loads of water, and simply stick to a healthy, balanced vegetarian diet. It's what I know, though I'm still learning the best way to go about it (ie more good stuff, less slacking off and eating whatever's around).
Between now and then, here's to tea..!
Fresh from the earth
Remember my goal of eating fresh stuff, as close to picked as I can manage? And that most of it will come from my own garden? Well there's an apparent alternative!
Where I work there's a whole lot of mixed industry taking place on the rather large property. Recently they planted out a gigantic veggie garden that keeps expanding with more rows of mielies and stuff. And the farm manager makes a point of dropping by with little bags of just-plucked produce to sell nearly every day.
This morning it's spanspek (cantaloupe) and cucumbers. Yesterday it was tomatoes (with STEMS - when last did you see that in the shops?) and green beans. Things seem to be producing at a rate! And selling really cheap.
So it seems I'm going to be able to sort out that goal with a lot more ease than I assumed. It's not going to stop me growing my own goodies, but it will help to get things that I can't grow in my garden thanks to lack of space or wrong soil/light conditions.
Off to buy some spanspek...
Where I work there's a whole lot of mixed industry taking place on the rather large property. Recently they planted out a gigantic veggie garden that keeps expanding with more rows of mielies and stuff. And the farm manager makes a point of dropping by with little bags of just-plucked produce to sell nearly every day.
This morning it's spanspek (cantaloupe) and cucumbers. Yesterday it was tomatoes (with STEMS - when last did you see that in the shops?) and green beans. Things seem to be producing at a rate! And selling really cheap.
So it seems I'm going to be able to sort out that goal with a lot more ease than I assumed. It's not going to stop me growing my own goodies, but it will help to get things that I can't grow in my garden thanks to lack of space or wrong soil/light conditions.
Off to buy some spanspek...
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