Last night was fun. We jumped out of bed, wrapped up warm, and went Geminid spotting. The sky was littered with so many stars! It was a new moon, so the sky was dark and the Milky Way looked fantastic. The temperature was rising, the ice had all but disappeared, and there was scarce a …
Monthly archives: December 2012
Catch up
No baking to report today. Bill is fermenting nicely and is developing an attractive aroma, slightly tangy at this stage. Six couche cloths have arrived from Bakery Bits, only two are for me. Shopping yesterday failed to yield the desired trigger spray bottle I did get Bill a new home with a flat bottom I …
Bill Update 3
Bill was going like the clappers this morning when I looked in on him. I divided… discarding half, and gave the first cold water feed. Bill has now been moved from the warmth of the server cupboard and back to the kitchen, where it is much cooler. The spelt is going down fast – must …
Of trees and cake and birthday things
Today is my boy’s birthday. When he was a lad yesterday would have been that day that we went to fetch the tree. After trimming the tree, we would have a birthday Carpet Picnic by its light. He liked boy-type food, unlike his sister – she would choose Baked Alaska instead of birthday cake, but …
Bill Update 2
Bill, 48 hrs: working! and fed. I missed the initial signs of fermentation, of the first odd few bubbles. I removed Bill’s lid this morning and initially thought that he was still not working, but the smell gave him away. The surface of the brew was dead smooth and almost glassy, but the volume had …
Honey Apple Challah
Sundays often see us having a Brunch and a high-ish tea, skipping a traditional Sunday main meal in favour of things that we like better… ham, bacon, CAKE… This morning saw the advent of the Staffordshire Oatcakes, which are very nutritious and substantial and look like keeping us stoked for most of the day. A …