experimentations with magic salve

It is finally time to make more magic salve.  We actually wish to give some away this time.  We are also trying to extract more from the herbs we are using.  My thought is that we need to keep the oil warm longer but I did not wish to leave this on the stove.  Our new crockpot has a warm setting so we are trying it to infuse the oil using it.  We will see.

I am thinking about taking a small bit and making it warm.  Infuse some cinnamon, ginger, and possible a pepper in it.  I am thinking cayenne but maybe ancho pepper.  Small Mister likes to eat ground ancho so he would like it.  It is a good thing that magic salve is edible.

spinning the last bit of sunshine

I am spinning the last bit of Sunshine's fleece.  The sweater I am making with it has one more sleeve to go and it is all done.  I am fairly excited because I think it has the best sleeves on it I have ever made.  I modeled it one sleeved for a lady at work and she loved it.  For her, it would be a little different.  For me, it will almost be a winter sweater that will need no coat.  

Spin yarn.  Crochet one sleeve.  Weave in three ends.  Add hooks.  That just does not seem that much farther to go.

I am hoping I will have just enough Sunshine left for mitts for me and a hat for Small Mister.  Then he will match Poppa a bit.  He had to talk to his Poppa twice today so I miss him even more then normal.  Google hangouts sure help.

Easter Bread

When I was a small person, I started baking bread.  I actually started baking the Easter Bread.  I think I was about eight.  I actually do not make it very often any more.  I usually make hot cross uns because I like those.  Small Mister calls them cookies which tells you how often we have them around here.  I sent off a box for Easter for him but did not get any "cookies" in there.  Maybe next year.

This year, we went camping with my Beloved's sister's family.  I decided to make the Easter Bread that I grew up with, with a few modifications, for everyone.  I would say it was a hit since this was the only picture I got of it.  It is based on the Parker House roll recipe.  The modification I make is sourdough and I do not scald the milk.  I knead the butter in instead of melt.  If you have any left over, it does make a very good sandwich too!

Easter Bread

sourdough starter

1 cup flour

3/4 cup water

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 large egg

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl, the night before, mix the starter, 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup water.  Cover and let sit until bubbly.  Save out a couple of tablespoons for the next baking.

Mix in the milk, butter, sugar, egg, and 2 cups flour.  Stir well.  Let sit about 1 1/2 hours.  You want a really fluffy sponge, much like pancake batter.

Mix in the salt and 1 1/2 cups flour.  It works best if this dough is on the soft side so go gentle on adding extra flour.  Start kneading.  If it is too sticky, add flour slowly.  Knead the dough until soft and smooth.  

Cover and let rise until double.  It could take 1 1/2 hours or more depending on how cold your house is.  Ours is cold.  If you need to, you can punch it down and let it rise to double again, or shape it.  If you let it rise more, the keeping ability of the bread is better and the sourdough can become a stronger flavor.  I find it is the warmer rise that makes the sourdough strong.  Or very cold and long.

Shape the bread into a braid.  I braid my hair every day so this to me is just common knowledge but here is what you wish to do.  Divide the dough into three equal portions or as close as you can make them.  On a floured surface, roll out each portion into a snake.  I find it is easier to start in the middle and work my way to the ends.  It makes a smoother snake.  Each snake should be about the same length.  

Here is the tricky bit.  Lay the snakes next to each other.  You will actually get a smoother bread braid if you start from the middle.  I am better at showing someone how to do it then write it out so try the diagrams in the Tassajara bread book or look on youtube.  When you have finished one end, do the other.

Put the braid on a baking sheet covered with a silpat or parchment paper.  Cover and let rise again.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake for one hour.

To make the bread fancy for Easter, I drizzle it with a glaze made of a powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Just so good.

quiet Saturday

I picked flowers this morning and dug another bed.  Planted more flower and vegetable seeds.  I needed this badly. It has been one of those weeks where work was a place to laugh because it either was so frustrating or made me so angry with stupidity that I wished to cry.  I need to figure out how to have enough energy at the end of the day to spend more time in the garden.  It is good for my head.

I have been working on my letters.  I need more vellum.

Croissants are raising in the refrigerator.  I have one more fold I think before I shape and bake.  This is exciting and I am really like just being slow with them.  I actually need to start bread again today.  I ran out yesterday.

I am hoping this weekend will be healing.  My shoulders are much better but there is still a lot of healing that needs to go on.  I would like to be able to do yoga without pain again.  I have stopped until I can.  I may test it this weekend.

calligraphy

I am trying to learn calligraphy.  I have a workshop in a box and some books on hold at the library.  I might get there.

I have been trying to do some designing for printing.  I really like the idea of script but I have not found anything that I really like.  The thought had been in the back of my head that I should learn calligraphy and create a script I like.  Then print what I wish too.  I have started that process.

I have mentioned that the energy levels are very low.  I am doing one letter at a time right now until those levels increase.  But I am spending energy on making bread.  I have croissant dough rising in the refrigerator.  I keep thinking I should bake and sell.  That way I could put my hands in dough more often.  I just need a few customers who wish a basket each week.  Similar to a CSA but homemade bread.  Maybe someday.