Items
topic_interest is exactly
breakfast
-
2021-03-21
A tale of the babka
If you had asked me if I was a baker prior to the year 2020, I would have unequivocally said no. A cook? Yes. But a baker? Absolutely not. But that was before the global Covid-19 pandemic. I worked in the cruise industry prior to the pandemic and I travelled a lot for my job. I was not home enough to really jump into and try to master baking. Following mandatory quarantine in March 2020, I suddenly had extra time on my hands. Further, I was laid-off from my job in early June and ended-up with even more time on my hands. Like so many around the world during quarantine, I took up baking. But unlike the many who tried sourdough, I started with making standard wheat breads and then went straight to enriched breads like babkas or challahs. The photos I am attaching here show my progression as a baker. My first babka was fine and tasted great, but as you can see, I have improved in technique and in flavor over time. My favorite babka recipe comes from King Arthur Flour. As a new baker, I relied on the King Arthur Flour website for flour and yeast tips, baking tools, and recipes. I was too hesitant to add walnuts the first time and I accidently used a quick-rise east instead of standard yeast. As time went on, I felt more comfortable adding walnuts and raisins. I also felt more comfortable working with the dough to perfect the twisting technique of the babka. I relied on trial-and-error for most of my recipes, but I also watched all episodes of the Great British Baking Show and found some videos that gave me the basics of flour, yeast, and water. My family were very surprised by this newfound baking skill. But they enjoyed tasting the results. I have enjoyed bringing people together over food – and I have enjoyed giving loaves as gifts. I am still trying new bread recipes and plan on continuing to bake even as life slowly returns to our new normal. -
2020-09-10
Retirement in the Rumour File
My Dad used to listen to the rumour file every morning for work, I remember one time he had to work all day on something that broke on the rumour file that morning. As I've tried to be setting a new routine and waking up early, I've been listening a lot to Ross and (recently) Russell in the morning. It's nice to use live radio to feel connected during this lockdown, particularly when AW is so Melbourne based. I'm nowt alone either I think their ratings have gone up something like 30%. This guy rang up with a rumour about a former number one draft pick retiring this week. As a Carlton Fan and a receiver of many a failed number one draft picks, I thought it had to be one of ours. Sure enough, a few hours later news broke that Matthew Kreuzer was retiring. Another draft pick hampered by injury that never hit his prime into the Carlton graveyard. I still even now think of Kreuz as a pimply eighteen year old. At least I got to break the news to my mates and feel ahead of the curve, and the rumour file is really helping me get through.