Bread

My sister contacted me last week to tell me she had seen a tv show that talked about how they inject fat into bread, and to tell me that she was not eating supermarket bought bread any more.

The problem is that they add a load of preservatives to bread to make it last longer. As a result, the bread drys out fairly quickly. So they have come up with this 'solution' to the drying problem - add a load of fat to the bread to keep is moist for longer. We really don't know what we're eating when we opt for anything processed!

The result is that you have bread pumped full of crap that you simply should not be ingesting. Instead, try buying bread from your local bakery, who will not be doing this (if in doubt, ask them), or alternatively, make your own.

I have a fool-proof recipe for a lovely soda bread that I myself have tried out. It has few ingredients and is very simple to make.

Soda Bread

Ingredients
500g plain flour (or 250 plain and 250 wholemeal)
400ml yoghurt (live, natural full fat) Most people say buttermilk but this is as good and far easier to get a hold of.
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
Little water if yoghurt not enough
pinch sugar (optional)

Preheat over to 200C/400F/GM6

Lightly dust counter top and a baking tray

Sift flour and bicarb with salt and sugar. Make well in centre and add yoghurt. Mix together - it is quite a luxurious feeling!

Mix together until a sticky mix - dn't mix much, just until its full cme together.

Place on baking tray andtake a knife an cut a deep cross through top. (I scattered a few poppy seeds over mine here).

Put in oven and leave 40-45 mins. You know its reading when you tap base and sounds hollow.

Put on cooling rack when it comes out. It will be ready to eat around 15 mins after it comes out - nice warm.

That's it - so simple, so hassle free. It will give you the baking bug.

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin