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

Bread Making

I use a breadmaker when making bread because no one has ever shown me how to do it by hand. The breadmaker is an old model and its ok but it's just not the same as hand made bread.

I am, alas, one of these people who needs to be physically shown how to do something like this - much like knitting and crochet, it's v difficult to learn from a book or video (and my dongle internet connection doesn't allow me to watch videos).

So I decided to have a look at one day courses/workshops on bread making. OH my! These school charge a fortune! Don't get me wrong, they look and sound amazing but who has a spare £130= for a single day course? Not I! I typed breadmaking courses, Scotland into Bing and got quite a few results. Here are a couple of lovely looking ones, although they are out of my price-range.

http://www.entcs.co.uk/bread-making
http://www.lesleyskitchen.com/

If, unlike me, you can used a recipe and know how to make bread, here are some stunning recipes that I really want to try myself :D

One thing I will warn you about. I know the difference between unleavened and leavened bread (yeast, basically). Naan is an unleavened bread but for some reason there are recipes out there telling you to put yeast in it. This is not real naan bread, I have to say. Good naan recipe:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/naan_86626


Basics:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/bread

Something special:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sundriedtomatoandoli_66043

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/cheesegalettebreadwi_83503

and for something less common in the UK - Corn Bread:
http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/514368

For something a little more desserty or as a tea time treat:
http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/634893

Thats all for now. these sound amazing and I really will try to find someone to show me how to do this. Darn my practical learning skills!

On another note, my second book, The Island of the Mist, is now available on both Kindle and paperback formats:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B0092TUS7U/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346945410&sr=1-2

And paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346506656&sr=1-2

and in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346946271&sr=1-2&keywords=the+island+of+the+mist

And you can still obtain the first book, The Stone in the Sword: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

Home Cooking

This is a great time of year for baking. Spring brings out the best in us and getting started couldn’t be easier. Look up courses in baking if you have never done any before. Ask a friend who can bake if they’ll show you a simple recipe. If you are more cooking/baking inclined, try something you never thought you would. Try breads from another country, or a different kind of fruit loaf. No cheating now, bread-makers do all the work for you.

This time of year always reminds me of Stollen, a wonderful, fruity loaf that is often served covered in icing or accompanied by a sauce.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/stollen_87632