Saturday has become bread baking day in the Campbell household, thanks to my new resolution to make more of our own food from scratch. So far this is a much more rewarding goal than I anticipated.
Baking bread is such great stress relief. (Maybe this is because I haven't experienced the disappointment of a total bread flop yet.) There is something so calming and enjoyable about the whole process. From weighing out the ingredients (that's right I am baking as a Brit using a scale and everything)and kneading the dough, to forming the raw loaf and watching it crisp and brown in the oven, each step is satisfying and contributes to the final product.
Last Saturday I made my usual foccaccia (for Ross). Then I used the last sprinkles of wholemeal flour, strong white flour and some plain white flour to experiment (I had to combine the three flours just to get enough for one full loaf). I mixed the wholemeal and white flours together, added a dash of honey, some raisins, almond flakes, pumpkin seeds, and linseeds.
The result wasn't perfect- I forgot to spray the loaf with water before baking and I probably could have kneaded it for a bit more, proved it a little longer and let it bake for another 10 minutes- but I just ate two hearty slices for lunch and the girls in the office all came to investigate the source of the sweet smells.
I'll have to try a version of this bread again with fresh ingredients and a little more care.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Bread Challenge #1
The last couple years I have become more aware of all the processed junk that gets added into almost everything you can buy on the supermarket shelves. I have always enjoyed cooking and baking, but seeing the high rates of sugars, salt and added preservatives in the stuff I used to buy has encouraged me to try and make more of my food from scratch.
I decided to start by baking my own bread regularly (by hand- none of those bread machine contraptions in my kitchen). The obstacles I face are limited time (I work full-time) and lack of skills. I have made my fair share of cakes, cookies and pie crusts, but I am by no means an expert on anything food related, much less bread baking.
Earlier this year I bought a few books about bread and was enlightened about all sorts of bread-related issues, like how the type of flour you use affects the rising and how to properly knead dough. It is fascinating stuff.
Since Ross has been patiently enduring my new obsession, I let him choose a recipe for my first bread baking session. His choice: Foccaccia with Rosemary and Sun-dried tomatoes
The foccaccia was so tasty that Ross has requested it three times since the first trial. It has come out perfectly each and every time.
I decided to start by baking my own bread regularly (by hand- none of those bread machine contraptions in my kitchen). The obstacles I face are limited time (I work full-time) and lack of skills. I have made my fair share of cakes, cookies and pie crusts, but I am by no means an expert on anything food related, much less bread baking.
Earlier this year I bought a few books about bread and was enlightened about all sorts of bread-related issues, like how the type of flour you use affects the rising and how to properly knead dough. It is fascinating stuff.
Since Ross has been patiently enduring my new obsession, I let him choose a recipe for my first bread baking session. His choice: Foccaccia with Rosemary and Sun-dried tomatoes
The foccaccia was so tasty that Ross has requested it three times since the first trial. It has come out perfectly each and every time.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
The New Flat!
We moved into our new flat way back in November and are loving our new home. Many of you have already received the free tour via Skype, but I promised to post some photos.
Our new home is on the Southside of the city (before we were in the West End) and with two 
bedrooms, a dining kitchen and large living room, it is twice the size of our last flat. Once again we are just renting, so who knows how long we will end up staying here, but for now we are content.
Our flat is on the 2nd level (or third story) of our building, which means that we have a few more stairs to climb, but this really hasn't been an issue.
The entry way has wood floors, which I love. Our last flat had cream coloured carpet in the entry way, which was constantly being dirtied by muddy feet and greasy bicycle tires. With the wood floor, all it takes is a quick sweep or vacuum and the occasional good scrub.
Having more space is great- we can easily walk around both sides of our bed. We no longer have mattresses and boxes 'stored' in our kitchen, and Ross no longer has to worry about cleaning his office space, which used to be in our living room, when we have people over for dinner.
Another plus is the fact that the flat was refurbished only a couple years ago, which means the floors, carpets, paint and wall paper are clean and shouldn't start falling apart for a while. I can honestly say that while we were suffering through the ongoing mold problems in our last flat, I was
easily sold on this one when I walked into the bathroom and saw clean white tiles and breathed in the fresh air (not a hint of musty, moldy, mildewy grossness). Four months in and I still haven't discovered any mold.
The kitchen is big and bright, which I really appreciate. Our kitchen is way more than a place to cook- we use it as a dining room, bakery, craft zone, garden and drying rack and laundrette. I
especially like that the windows in our kitchen easily open, allowing us to air out all the cooking smells and to use our dryer without having to worry about steam. Our dryer set up is not uber sophisticated- the dryer sits in the corner of our kitchen and when in use, we hook up the dryer hose and hang it out the window... The sight of a long plastic drying hose stretching across the kitchen may not be pretty, but it works!
Our lounge/TV room/Library is much bigger than the living room in our last flat. In fact, our tall bookshelves look small and a little pathetic when set against the high ceilings and bare walls. We definitely need to get some pictures up on our walls and I would love to get an armchair or ottoman to help will out the living room more. The danger with having a bigger home is that you buy
more stuff to fill it and before you know, the next move requires two moving vans instead of just one! (I am trying to resist the urge...) 
Over the holidays we did go in for a nice rug to help warm up the room, which is all wood flooring. I went for a traditional pattern with a bit of color to liven up a room that was very neutral; white, cream and brown. We were both surprised at how difficult it was to find a rug that was the size we needed. (Apparently not a lot of people need rugs bigger than 6ft X 8ft).
We ended up ordering one online and just hoping that we liked it when it arrived. Considering how little we paid, I wasn't expecting much. Thankfully, the rug has exceeded our expectations. The rug is actually well made and has a nice pattern, and it definitely helped warm up the cold wood floors this winter.
(Notice the Christmas decorations as evidence that I took these photos ages ago):
I realise that I haven't shown you the bedrooms, but it is always good to leave something to the imagination. You will just have to come visit and check them out for yourself!
Our new home is on the Southside of the city (before we were in the West End) and with two 
bedrooms, a dining kitchen and large living room, it is twice the size of our last flat. Once again we are just renting, so who knows how long we will end up staying here, but for now we are content.Our flat is on the 2nd level (or third story) of our building, which means that we have a few more stairs to climb, but this really hasn't been an issue.
The entry way has wood floors, which I love. Our last flat had cream coloured carpet in the entry way, which was constantly being dirtied by muddy feet and greasy bicycle tires. With the wood floor, all it takes is a quick sweep or vacuum and the occasional good scrub.
Having more space is great- we can easily walk around both sides of our bed. We no longer have mattresses and boxes 'stored' in our kitchen, and Ross no longer has to worry about cleaning his office space, which used to be in our living room, when we have people over for dinner.Another plus is the fact that the flat was refurbished only a couple years ago, which means the floors, carpets, paint and wall paper are clean and shouldn't start falling apart for a while. I can honestly say that while we were suffering through the ongoing mold problems in our last flat, I was
easily sold on this one when I walked into the bathroom and saw clean white tiles and breathed in the fresh air (not a hint of musty, moldy, mildewy grossness). Four months in and I still haven't discovered any mold.The kitchen is big and bright, which I really appreciate. Our kitchen is way more than a place to cook- we use it as a dining room, bakery, craft zone, garden and drying rack and laundrette. I
especially like that the windows in our kitchen easily open, allowing us to air out all the cooking smells and to use our dryer without having to worry about steam. Our dryer set up is not uber sophisticated- the dryer sits in the corner of our kitchen and when in use, we hook up the dryer hose and hang it out the window... The sight of a long plastic drying hose stretching across the kitchen may not be pretty, but it works!Our lounge/TV room/Library is much bigger than the living room in our last flat. In fact, our tall bookshelves look small and a little pathetic when set against the high ceilings and bare walls. We definitely need to get some pictures up on our walls and I would love to get an armchair or ottoman to help will out the living room more. The danger with having a bigger home is that you buy
more stuff to fill it and before you know, the next move requires two moving vans instead of just one! (I am trying to resist the urge...) 
Over the holidays we did go in for a nice rug to help warm up the room, which is all wood flooring. I went for a traditional pattern with a bit of color to liven up a room that was very neutral; white, cream and brown. We were both surprised at how difficult it was to find a rug that was the size we needed. (Apparently not a lot of people need rugs bigger than 6ft X 8ft).
We ended up ordering one online and just hoping that we liked it when it arrived. Considering how little we paid, I wasn't expecting much. Thankfully, the rug has exceeded our expectations. The rug is actually well made and has a nice pattern, and it definitely helped warm up the cold wood floors this winter.
(Notice the Christmas decorations as evidence that I took these photos ages ago):
I realise that I haven't shown you the bedrooms, but it is always good to leave something to the imagination. You will just have to come visit and check them out for yourself!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Hairstylings
Ross and I are creatures of habit and like most people we tend to sit in the same row every Sunday (unless we happen to be on the welcome rota).
Recently a very cute and very well behaved toddler (and her parents, who are apparently also creatures of habit) has taken to sitting in the row directly in front of us in church. She sits quietly with her parents throughout the service and occasionally flashes a sweet smile at the people nearby.
Last Sunday our toddler friend staged the scene for our most recent cultural miscommunication. As she was taking her seat Ross turned to me and pointed out that the 'quiet tiny one' was back and that she had 'bunches'. I was immediately surprised because, while I had no idea what 'bunches' were, it sounded to me like some horrible disease (think- measles or chicken pox). However, the little girl looked perfectly healthy, so I asked Ross to explain.
His very helpful explanation was, 'She has bunches in her hair.'
'In her hair?...You mean pigtails?'
'No, bunches. Little girls wear bunches and plaits.' (Translation: pigtails and braids.)
Bunches and plaits- two more words to add into my growing Scottish vocabulary.
Recently a very cute and very well behaved toddler (and her parents, who are apparently also creatures of habit) has taken to sitting in the row directly in front of us in church. She sits quietly with her parents throughout the service and occasionally flashes a sweet smile at the people nearby.
Last Sunday our toddler friend staged the scene for our most recent cultural miscommunication. As she was taking her seat Ross turned to me and pointed out that the 'quiet tiny one' was back and that she had 'bunches'. I was immediately surprised because, while I had no idea what 'bunches' were, it sounded to me like some horrible disease (think- measles or chicken pox). However, the little girl looked perfectly healthy, so I asked Ross to explain.
His very helpful explanation was, 'She has bunches in her hair.'
'In her hair?...You mean pigtails?'
'No, bunches. Little girls wear bunches and plaits.' (Translation: pigtails and braids.)
Bunches and plaits- two more words to add into my growing Scottish vocabulary.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)