DW
6.9.12
5.9.12
Perfect Home Made Bread
By accident I found a bread making tip that made me happy.
Using the same recipe as before and the same ingredients, I added SLIGHTLY too much water to my last batch of bread. I then added a LITTLE bit if extra flour to take the stickiness away. I ended up with the most fantastic dough and the resulting loaf and buns were the best bread I have ever made.
Can I replicate that?
DW
Using the same recipe as before and the same ingredients, I added SLIGHTLY too much water to my last batch of bread. I then added a LITTLE bit if extra flour to take the stickiness away. I ended up with the most fantastic dough and the resulting loaf and buns were the best bread I have ever made.
Can I replicate that?
DW
Gibb Lane is TOUGH
As part of my keep fit for life campaign I walk up Gibb Lane for lung busting exercise and it's tough going.
Up until yesterday I used to zig zag my way up it but yesterday I wanted to go straight at it and did it.
I felt happy to have done it. When I finished my walk and hit back home though, my legs were a but jelly like!
Keeping fit is a full time job and although this is my fourth good outing in six days, we have to keep on top of our fitness as we get older.
Young people can slouch around and then go and do something ... not the more mature types!
Take a look at an Ordnance Survey map to see why I think Gibb Lane is so tough!
DW
Up until yesterday I used to zig zag my way up it but yesterday I wanted to go straight at it and did it.
I felt happy to have done it. When I finished my walk and hit back home though, my legs were a but jelly like!
Keeping fit is a full time job and although this is my fourth good outing in six days, we have to keep on top of our fitness as we get older.
Young people can slouch around and then go and do something ... not the more mature types!
Take a look at an Ordnance Survey map to see why I think Gibb Lane is so tough!
DW
2.9.12
Another Moon Cake
Here's moon cake two from Malaysia: green tea with kidney bean and green bean paste. It's really good.
DW
DW
31.8.12
Moon Cakes
My good friend in Malaysia sent me two Moon Cakes and I have opened and started eating one of them. It is excellent. Truly excellent.
This is why moon cakes exist: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake
This is a Lotus Paste cake and this is what it looks like:
DW
This is why moon cakes exist: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake
This is a Lotus Paste cake and this is what it looks like:
DW
30.8.12
Livestock ... Dead!
My hallways seems to be a passage way, or is it rite of passage, for certain livestock.
Flies and spiders are always with us and there are a few spiders in residence in my hall.
Two weeks ago I found a dead common black beetle followed a day later by a live one: I guessed they had had a fight as the dead one did seem to be a little bit injured. Little bit for me, massive for it!
Every now and again some worms appear ... and all they do there is die. There are two there at the moment ... see one of them below.
Most surprising of all, however, is the other creature that seems to have died, stuck half way up the wall. It appeared over night. I would have noticed it before. Take a look at it, below, too. Notice the things that are stuck to it! Has it choked to death on the feathers or something? I think, though, that the feathers are stuck to its rear end!
DW
Flies and spiders are always with us and there are a few spiders in residence in my hall.
Two weeks ago I found a dead common black beetle followed a day later by a live one: I guessed they had had a fight as the dead one did seem to be a little bit injured. Little bit for me, massive for it!
Every now and again some worms appear ... and all they do there is die. There are two there at the moment ... see one of them below.
Most surprising of all, however, is the other creature that seems to have died, stuck half way up the wall. It appeared over night. I would have noticed it before. Take a look at it, below, too. Notice the things that are stuck to it! Has it choked to death on the feathers or something? I think, though, that the feathers are stuck to its rear end!
DW
29.8.12
Just Love Home Made Bread
These are BIG but they are fresh and smell delicious! Made by yours truly!
DW
DW
28.8.12
Another Power Cut
Since the power cut on Thursday I received two text messages and a phone call from the power grid company. Reassurances ... we are very sorry ... don't hesitate to let us know if this happens again ...
About an hour after the phone call, on Saturday, we had another cut: 90 minutes this time. When it came back this time, it was on, off, on off on off, then on. It's as if they are trying to blow our fuses!
I wonder if these people would pay if they fried any of my things.
DW
About an hour after the phone call, on Saturday, we had another cut: 90 minutes this time. When it came back this time, it was on, off, on off on off, then on. It's as if they are trying to blow our fuses!
I wonder if these people would pay if they fried any of my things.
DW
Here Kitty, Kitty!
The big story in Essex yesterday was that there was a Lion roaming the streets. Police caution, animal experts involved ... all due precautions in place. Better to be safe than sorry.
This morning I saw the photo that was at the heart of the search and my only and immediate reaction was, here kitty, kitty! I don't have a link to the photo but if you see it you might be struck by the position and shape of the ears. Ears almost on the top of the head and very pointed.
I took a look at a wide range of photos of Lions: male, female and cubs; and not a pointy ear among them.
One if those interviewed over this story also said they heard a big roar ... more likely to be an ear wax problem, I think!
Meow!
DW
This morning I saw the photo that was at the heart of the search and my only and immediate reaction was, here kitty, kitty! I don't have a link to the photo but if you see it you might be struck by the position and shape of the ears. Ears almost on the top of the head and very pointed.
I took a look at a wide range of photos of Lions: male, female and cubs; and not a pointy ear among them.
One if those interviewed over this story also said they heard a big roar ... more likely to be an ear wax problem, I think!
Meow!
DW
24.8.12
Third World Rides Again
Less than two weeks ago I reported that I had had a power cut. Since I haven't spent more than three weeks at any one time in this house before, it's revealing to see how inferior the services are in some parts of this country.
The power has gone again.
My broadband service is among the worst in the UK. I know that almost every time I return from a trip away there has been a power cut of some duration. Now I am getting to experience them.
The big problem with power cuts is that they just happen. When the power goes, who can predict what might be broken by any on/off surge?
I have recently installed an NAS server drive and of course, when the power goes, that and the router it is connected to goes.
This morning I was in the middle of a Mac Time Machine back up that has now been ruined and no doubt will have to be started again. That back up takes around 24 hours to complete.
Rubbish services.
DW
The power has gone again.
My broadband service is among the worst in the UK. I know that almost every time I return from a trip away there has been a power cut of some duration. Now I am getting to experience them.
The big problem with power cuts is that they just happen. When the power goes, who can predict what might be broken by any on/off surge?
I have recently installed an NAS server drive and of course, when the power goes, that and the router it is connected to goes.
This morning I was in the middle of a Mac Time Machine back up that has now been ruined and no doubt will have to be started again. That back up takes around 24 hours to complete.
Rubbish services.
DW
23.8.12
Death by Fat
I have been sceptical of Heston Blumenthal ever since I heard about his wacky snot porridge and things. Yes, he has won three Michelin stars but testicle pie does not do anything for me.
Then again, I have never seen him cooking before ... until today. I have to say I was right about him.
He was demonstrating roasting chicken and potatoes in the programme I watched. The admirable thing about him is that he is very methodical and at worst pseudo scientific. He tested six chickens to find the best. He tested five varieties to find the best. He cooked the potatoes in salted water and another lot in unsalted water ... we could see the results.
What marks this man out as very dangerous is that he uses and abuses a LOT of oil, butter and other fats. He uses alarming amounts of salt.
I should also say, I can cook a chicken that has the meat very moist and the skin brown and crispy and it doesn't take five hours to cook, or anything like it either.
He cooked carrots and broccoli in this programme: carrots fried in butter. Broccoli blanched for a minute and then cooked in butter.
He finishes the chicken off by injecting butter under the skin of his roasted chicken.
I don't rate this way of cooking and even though his Fat Duck restaurant loses money, he clearly makes a lot of money from his wacky image and pseudo scientific tomfoolery.
DW
Then again, I have never seen him cooking before ... until today. I have to say I was right about him.
He was demonstrating roasting chicken and potatoes in the programme I watched. The admirable thing about him is that he is very methodical and at worst pseudo scientific. He tested six chickens to find the best. He tested five varieties to find the best. He cooked the potatoes in salted water and another lot in unsalted water ... we could see the results.
What marks this man out as very dangerous is that he uses and abuses a LOT of oil, butter and other fats. He uses alarming amounts of salt.
I should also say, I can cook a chicken that has the meat very moist and the skin brown and crispy and it doesn't take five hours to cook, or anything like it either.
He cooked carrots and broccoli in this programme: carrots fried in butter. Broccoli blanched for a minute and then cooked in butter.
He finishes the chicken off by injecting butter under the skin of his roasted chicken.
I don't rate this way of cooking and even though his Fat Duck restaurant loses money, he clearly makes a lot of money from his wacky image and pseudo scientific tomfoolery.
DW
19.8.12
Cultural Day
I came across a performance of The Gondoliers on the telly this afternoon and was able to watch the first act of that: very enjoyable too.
At the moment I am watching Dvorak's New World symphony being performed at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. Very nice to see and hear.
DW
At the moment I am watching Dvorak's New World symphony being performed at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. Very nice to see and hear.
DW
16.8.12
It Arrived: my Excel Book
Here is the proof copy of my Excel book. 585 pages :)
I will post the link to the eshop within a couple of days.
Duncan Williamson
I will post the link to the eshop within a couple of days.
Duncan Williamson
15.8.12
Welcome Back Bulghur Wheat
For some reason I have spent the last two or three years avoiding Bulghur wheat. No idea why but I have.
Anyway, I gave started buying and preparing it again and will just say how fantastic it is.
I am using basic and coarse types: both tasty and just as easy to prepare as each other.
Well done!
DW
Anyway, I gave started buying and preparing it again and will just say how fantastic it is.
I am using basic and coarse types: both tasty and just as easy to prepare as each other.
Well done!
DW
14.8.12
SlugAlong
I put bread out in the garden for the birds. What I got was a few gastropods ... watch out for the pneumostome on two of the slugs ... their breathing holes.
So far I have seen no birds at the bread table!
DW
So far I have seen no birds at the bread table!
DW
13.8.12
Very Third World
There I was, working away, listening to the radio and minding my own business and then ffffpp! Power cut off.
I went to my fuse box to see what had blown and found that nothing had blown.
This is a genuine Britain of the 1950s and 1960s power cut.
30 minutes and still off!
After two hours it came back on!
DW
I went to my fuse box to see what had blown and found that nothing had blown.
This is a genuine Britain of the 1950s and 1960s power cut.
30 minutes and still off!
After two hours it came back on!
DW
Do you Need to Knead?
If you watch any cookery programmes in which they demonstrate the making of bread, the trend over the last few years has been to find more and more extreme ways of kneading to stretch the gluten in the flour. It's almost got to the stage of showing bakers stretching a kilogramme or more of dough so much that it covers an entire table or bench. You MUST do that to allow the gluten to stretch and to create the perfect crumb they say.
Normally, I comply with the above but yesterday I was in a bit of a hurry to make some bread buns so I put all of the ingredients in the bowl but simply mixed it, thoroughly I have to say, with a knife: slice and fold, slice and fold. It did NOT look like my normal silky smooth dough but I put cling film over the bowl and left it to prove. Then I knocked it down and shaped it into buns and left it to prove again.
Cut to the chase: I was delighted by the result: the buns look rustic AND the crumb is delightful. Really, it's more open and the buns are a little bit crumbly. I will try a loaf using this method next time and see how that copes.
DW
Normally, I comply with the above but yesterday I was in a bit of a hurry to make some bread buns so I put all of the ingredients in the bowl but simply mixed it, thoroughly I have to say, with a knife: slice and fold, slice and fold. It did NOT look like my normal silky smooth dough but I put cling film over the bowl and left it to prove. Then I knocked it down and shaped it into buns and left it to prove again.
Cut to the chase: I was delighted by the result: the buns look rustic AND the crumb is delightful. Really, it's more open and the buns are a little bit crumbly. I will try a loaf using this method next time and see how that copes.
DW
I wish I'd Taken this
I stumbled across this photo on Wikipedia this morning and wish I'd taken it.
It comes from this page.
DW
It comes from this page.
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DW
12.8.12
Today's Challenge
I made a big mistake last week and washed one set of my yellow towels with some blue towels.
I am very proud of my towels so I need to get the off yellow towels back to normal.
Can you see the difference, below?
DW
I am very proud of my towels so I need to get the off yellow towels back to normal.
Can you see the difference, below?
DW
Fantastic Mo Farah
I just watched another fabulous race at the Olympics. Mo Farah won the 5,000 metres for Team GB in terrific style. Watch it if you can!
DW
DW
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