August 01, 2005

Domesticity and other short stories

The Stove Gimmick
My stove is ok ! After I got into a scrap with my landlady, the handyman who witnessed it decided to fix my stove ! I'm very happy I don't have to deal with changing stoves anymore.

Beaver the Baker
This weekend, I learned to make bread with Dave's mum. It's kinda fun to put your hands in there and get covered in flour. The bread we made was really good (especially coming out of the oven). The smell was heavenly, so I couldn't resist trying it. Turns out it was really good.

Here's the recipe (you don't need any special equipment !)

TO MAKE THE YEAST :
2 teasp. dry yeast
1 teasp. sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
* Mix and let it rise. (that's impressive)

TO MAKE THE DOUGH :
STEP A :
2 tbsp. veggie fat (Grisco)
2 tbsp. sugar
2 teasp. salt
1 cup boiling water
* Mix all this together and when it's gone lukewarm, add the yeast mix.
STEP B :
1 cup lukewarm milk
6 cups flour (any is ok, except for baking flour which is way to light)
* In a very large bowl, add the yeast mixture to the milk and 3 cups of flour.
* Blend well. It's going to become like cookie dough.
* Take the dough out of the bowl and onto the counter (spread some flour so it's not sticky) and progressively work the remaining flour into the dough. If the dough looks like it can't take anymore and you have 1 cup of flour left, it's ok.
* Work the dough with your hands for 15 minutes to put some air in it.
* Let the dough rise in a cloth covered bowl for 45 minutes. (If it's cold in your kitchen, preheat your oven at low temperature, then close it and make the dough rise in there.) The dough's volume should double.
* Again, work the dough with your hands for 15 minutes to put some air in it.
* Again, let the dough rise in a cloth covered bowl for 45 minutes. (If it's cold in your kitchen, preheat your oven at low temperature, then close it and make the dough rise in there.) The dough's volume should double.
*Make 2 loaves of dough (you can put them on a flat dish or in a cake pan).
* Cook at 350F (175C) for 35 minutes.

Going from Scruffy to Comfy
We are getting a new couch this week ! (My in-laws are giving it to us.) I'm very excited to have a nice, clean, comfy couch in my living room instead of an old dead brown half couch.

That's it for now !

ON ON !

The Beaver

No comments: