My First Buns!

Monday, October 27, 2008

MY FIRST BUNS.......
Okay ...it’s not like it sounds! :-))

Anyway, after a disastrous baking experience in Kolkata that ended with a command (plea?) from my husband, “Thou shalt not bake at home, what can be bought at the grocers” I did not venture again, into the bread, cakes, and cookies world.

But then, the food blogging world has happened! It seems like the whole world is baking, and successfully, by the looks of it! “Hmmm ...but then why is 'Daring Bakers' called 'daring' if it’s no big deal?” I ask myself, even as I smuggle a pack of dry yeast and a kilo of self-raising unbleached flour, into our monthly groceries.

“What’s that for?” asks my husband suspiciously eyeing the small pack of dry yeast that caught his attention. I ramble about the difference in gluten content in Kolkata wheat and Sydney wheat, and a video I saw on Bread making for Dummies, even as the cashier at Coles cheerily packed, billed, and dismissed us with a “Thank you, have a great day”.

“If you must, why don’t you just join a course at TAFE and learn the proper way?” asks Hubby weakly. “Okay” says I meekly, and a tad too fast, putting the topic to an end.

“What can TAFE teach me, that my Foodie World Power cannot?” I say to myself later, as I furiously google away. I find this simple, down-to-earth blog by Rhonda. Wow …simple living is real hard work! Anyway, some simple values rub off on me, and I make up my mind that no ‘no-knead breads’ or short cuts for me, until I first learn the ‘real’ way.

I browse over to thank Purnima - a new visitor to my blog, and here’s is what I find! Thanks Purnima! This is it! The time has finally arrived! A quick jump to Anjali's and Bee’s posts, and the yeast prayer, I begin mixing the flour at 7:16pm. My first buns are ready by 9:46pm.

Served with melted butter, and delicious home made leek and asparagus soup, even hubby gallantly admits it’s a hit.

I shalt NOT not bake at home, what can be bought at the grocers” I make a determined promise to myself!







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Mango Mania

Sunday, October 26, 2008

...and so we came back from Paddy's with more mangos than two of us could possibly eat. Inspired by Chitra Amma's Bournvita Fudge, I set out to make 'mango fudge'! I followed amma's recipe exactly ...just added crushed pulp from two mangos and some slivers of almond, instead of Bournvita. Its hard work with all the stirring, and to keep the fudge from burning. It did not become a fudge ....
but then............................................................

oooooooooh .....its such a delicious halwa!

READ MORE - Mango Mania