my life in bread, cars and exercise [They Say What They Say]

The weather today has been miserably cold and wet. I was going to ride to work but changed my mind at the last minute when I opened my front door and saw that it was pouring. Thank god the bus was running five minutes late, that's all I can say. But it didn't stop me from going to gym after work for a quick 40 minute cardio session and some crunches. After that I came home and had the most enormous dinner of grilled chicken and steamed vegies. With all that good food and exercise I should be feeling all virtuous if it weren't for the fact that I stuffed my face with Scotch Finger and Nice biscuits at the training session I attended today :~\

However judging by the rain pelting down at the moment I shouldn't even contemplate using my bike as transport tomorrow and will drive to work instead. I want to go to gym again (third day running!) and while I could do what I did today - get the bus home then drive over to Fitzroy - but I'm more likely to get there if I take my stuff with me and go straight after work. My motivational levels are quite high at the moment, but the weather is a big downer and usually at this time of year once I get home, I'm home for the night.

Speaking of transport my car registration notice turned up in the mail today and I am sure it's at least $50 more than it was last year. Did they put the fees up without me noticing? I bet you they did, the bastards.

*grumps*

In news not related to driving or exercise, inspired by

zebra363 I am having a go at making sourdough bread. I found a recipe in an old copy of Better Homes and Gardens magazine at gym the other day¹ so I stole it and have been conscientiously feeding my starter for the past three days. When I checked on it this morning it was so huge I had to transfer it to a slightly bigger bowl, which I hope hasn't disturbed it too much. I have one more day of feeding to go and then on Thursday I can bake. I'm already planning on starting work early so can go home at 4pm to muck around with flour and give it its requisite five hours or rising time. If all goes well I will be feasting on lovely fresh bread for breakfast the next day. Or else tossing a rock-hard lump of foul tasting dough into the bin with many muttered curses.

Eeep, posting has started over at

spn_j2_bigbang 2009! OMG, so much fic, so little time!!

¹Okay, so it's slightly related to exercise, but only slightly.

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Neat! Did you start your starter from scratch, or buy one? In either case, it must be doing well if it's huge after three days.

I've made wholemeal sourdough bagels every week now for a month and they've become one of the staples of my diet!

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The recipe tells you how to start from scratch, but now I'm a bit worried because I've been invited to a going away party tomorrow night and that's when I was going to bake. Does it go off? Would it hurt if I left it for another day?

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The way my sister taught me, you can leave it out as long as you want as long as you feed it every day. Or, you can put it in the fridge, then get it out the night before you want to use it and feed it again.

I'm impressed that you started from scratch and had it raring to go in such a short time!

The recipe tell you to mix a cup of plain flour and a cup of water together and add three grapes or sultanas. Let that sit for 24 hours then remove the fruit and feed it with 1/2 cup flour and 1/3 cup warm water each day for four days. Then on day five you can make bread!

I'll feed it again tomorrow and make the bread on Friday. I might even see if I can keep it going until Saturday when I have more time to let it rise cos it needs to sit for four hours after kneading.

I think your starter would be reacting quickly because of the sugar from the grapes or sultanas. Starter with nothing but flour and water would normally take longer to get underway.

I don't know where I'd be without my sourdough now! My starter is rye flour and water (because that's what my sister's was). It lives in the fridge during the week, and when I want to use it I take it out the night before and add half a cup of flour and a little less than half of a cup of water. If I want to build it up to make more, I just feed it more often.

Also, if you end up with way too much starter (more than any of your bowls will fit, for instance!), you can just throw a little bit out and add more flour to replace it. That way it stays active but doesn't get too enormous.

The bowl I transferred it to is much bigger, but it's not as frothy as it was yesterday. I really hope it's okay. I've been working on it for long it's like a child to me!

Can't wait to hear how it goes!

They Say What They Say

my life in bread, cars and exercise

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April