Sourdough

My favourite sort of bread is sourdough - it just seems to have so much more flavour, texture & body and today I made my first loaves!

I've been meaning to try making a sourdough starter for a while, but you know how it is, I just didn't find one of those round to-its.

Fortunately J5 and I went to stay with some dear friends in Stanthorpe last weekend and, prior to leaving, I was given the generous gift of some of their sourdough starter, which originated in a bakery in Tasmania!

So, on Friday morning before leaving for work I fed it with 100g of wholemeal flour and 100ml of lukewarm water.  Then I fed it again when I got home.  An hour later I removed 200g and put it in a clean glass jar and into the fridge to keep for next time.  This morning this is what the remainder looked like:

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble.....

1kg wholemeal flour, 600ml lukewarm water and plenty of therapeutic kneading later......

Ready for the first proof.

After a few hours, and a 6yo McDonald's party (which thankfully J5 sent me away from), we had fun punching the dough down and shaping it ready for the second proof - after which it looked like this:

In to bake, closely following instructions, including putting a tray of boiling water in the oven for the first few minutes to form a nice crust.  I enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine and ABC Classic FM while reading my latest Michael Pollen book "The botany of desire" and keeping an eye on the oven temperature (you have to gradually decrease it from 240degC to 180degC over 45 minutes).  The loaves were removed from the oven just as SMD & L8 walked up the stairs after watching our Senior team defeat Mitchelton 5-3, Go ACE!

Of course we all had to try a piece warm from the oven.  Not bad for a first attempt I think.

PS Talking of Michael Pollan, if you live in Sydney he is going to be giving a talk at the Opera House on the 10th July 2012.

The world in Harmony

Book Review: - Harmony, a new way of looking at our world.  By HRH The Prince of Wales.

I finished reading this book a couple of weeks ago, and I have since ordered myself a copy.  It is a really beautiful book, both physically and philosophically.

I grew up hearing about Prince Charles and his love of nature, he was often derided for 'talking to his plants', for being at the 'extreme' end of the green scale, and for butting his nose into the areas of architecture and town planning.  But we all know how the media likes a good story, and doesn't always let the full truth get in the way.

Reading this book will tell you more about Prince Charles as a person than you will ever get from any magazine or newspaper report.  It will reveal a man who was ahead of his time in his concern for the earth in a truly holistic way.  A man who has an incredible respect and even reverence for the different peoples, cultures and religions of the world, and sees their commonalities.  An intelligent, interested, well read & hard working man.  But don't think this is a self-congratulatory book, that is just the impression gained from the thoughts he expresses.

But learning about Prince Charles the man is far from being the primary reason for reading this book - it is for its holistic view of the interrelatedness of life on earth, how one thing affects another, of how our view of the world and our place in it has caused us to reach this point of imbalance, and how we might change our view and work towards rebalancing and renewing our connection and sense of place in the grand scheme.

He starts out with geometry.  Yes that's right, basic mathematics.  How beautifully complex patterns appear in nature over and over again and how ancient peoples identified these and used them in their sacred art and architecture.

He talks about how man viewed his place in the environment, and how that has changed over time. The importance of beauty and how our sense of what is beautiful relates back to the geometry found in nature.  Of walkable towns and civic design.  Of psychology and how our environment affects it. Rainforests and their importance in creating rain, especially the Amazon, the 'lungs of the world'.  Of education and organic farming methods (he's been farming organically for about 30 years).

Strong views are expressed - gently.

It is a lovely read.

This is the lecture that inspired me to read this book in the first place.

One of the foundations that Prince Charles has set up to work towards creating a better world is the Prince's Foundation for Building Community, but there are others.  Behind the scenes he must work pretty hard.

Ravs

Inactive? Not Quite

I know, long time, but I haven't been completely idle.
I'm 8 or 9 weeks post spinal surgery today,  I wasn't allowed to do any heavy work for 6 weeks, which explains a bit.  But here's what I have done in the last couple of months.

Garlic (far end), carrots, bok choy & two types of beetroot.  And I finally set the automatic watering up again.

Various vegetable seedlings, two local natives (a westringia & a calistemon) free from the council via the Greenheart Fair, and my Mother's Day Aloe Vera plant.

Repotted the strawberries (see them hanging underneath) with some capsicum & oregano - two pots worth.

Potatoes in chook feed bags - a good use of an otherwise wasted space.

I put two seed potatoes in each bag.  Two different varieties,  3 bags of each.  Hope it works.

Sacrificed the last few passionfruit (was too cold for them to ripen anyway) and chopped the vine right back.  Waiting to see if it resprouts, otherwise I'll plant another in the same area.

A member of the melon family - but which one I don't know.  It is self sown,  so we'll just wait & see how it does, growing between the bricks & the retaining wall!

On a separate issue - I suggested at the P&C meeting that we should try to take the Tuck Shop GM Free.  I was expecting some scepticism - but got overwhelming support!  Very happy.  So now I have another job - as, in order to increase my chances of getting agreement, I offered to do all the research & chasing down of info.  But great news don't you think?

And there is a another book review on the way.  Plus I haven't completely forgotten the Organic Certification reviews (it's pretty dry reading though, so sometimes hard to face, hence the delay).

Oh - and I've joined a 'box scheme'.  We are now getting most of our fruit & vege from Food Connect, which sources all the food from within 3 hours drive of Brisbane (they also operate out of Sydney).  Mostly organic, though not always certified, and usually small farms I believe.  This means we are eating in season, and very fresh & cutting down on food miles.  Have been thrilled with the quality so far.  Am also excited about the chance we get at some point to visit some of the people growing our food.

Anyway, life's pretty good, as I hope it is for you.
Best wishes
Ravs