Pan Pugliese-Laramiese

The evening started early, when I realized I had actually made the dough during lunch break. Although it is not sourdough and thus the dough does not get over its threshold too fast, I wanted to start with it early. The stretch and fold method is slow and I also sort-of swapped raising step from later to earlier. One more stretch and fold and it can go to the banneton. I also have to admit the absence of durum flour and doubling the recipe. I really do not see the point in making bread loafs in the one pound range. So, the great Jewess whose book I am going by, my bread Julia, has to forgive me. I am even not sure I ever saw a durum flour in Safeway.

Here is the dough after 1+2 stretch-fold cycles, waiting for the last one.

It looks flat and uninviting, I know, and is pain to work with, but if I don't screw up, it may be really nice rustic thing.
One hour of raising in the bannetone:

Another half an hour later

Turned proper side up

And, voilà :-)

For those who cannot wait to see it cut, I have to say, me neither, but a 2 hours cooldown is a must.

Smells like a great bread, I must say, any bread baked this way does.

Yeast at work

In the spirit of Julie and Julia movie and blog, which I have found last week, this is just an update. Dog is resting her head on my left thigh, coffee is cooling down and I am waiting for Keith to return so that we can try together the filles braided pastry from this morning. I decided to use the leftover crushed pineapple before it turned into alcoholic beverage, and to try to make the pastry cream shown on TV yesterday with such elegance. The cream did not thicken, so I had to fix it with more starch, which worked. 

Second filling was ground hazelnut with sugar and chocolate chips and some pastry cream as well. The filling is placed into middle part of the rolled out rectangle of the dough and sides are cut into strips and folded over each other, so the braided effect stands up. The dough was buttery and not too sweet, so I hope the whole thing will be just right.

Dogs did not help much today, they preferred chewing on  each other and also on pieces of firewood. I hope Chompy won't be pooping wood pellets tomorrow. Walking them helped to make them tired now, although just as Keith was leaving, they were full of energy to turn the house upside down.

 

I feel like napping with Chompy now, good luck proposal writing!

First week gone

It has been a strange week, slowly transitioning from European time to US with my sleep pattern and tiredness, getting used to having Chompy around again (and as it turns out, for good) and slowly getting into work, where I have not accomplished as much as I’d like. Partly because I’ve spent a lot of time online researching about dog care, dog shots, dog spaying… about the breed and generally about everything concerning that little rat-baby.
It was bitterly cold, really bitterly, my nose hair (the inside one) pretty much fell out after two mornings of biking to work at -25C. A bit of fresh snow just made everything nicer and once the arctic air hit us, the fireplace was going. And of course, since we kept the dopggies without walking them during that cold, they were quite crazy in the evenings. I have also started leaving Chompy be free in the house, so far no major damage observed.
End of the week at work sucked a little, since I have learned something new about my workplace and the people making decisions there in general. Not overly pleasant thing, but I guess I can live with it for a while longer.
It’s Saturday and am a fresh owner of a slow cooker, thanks to Hana. If the chicken and root veggies come out edible, I may like it.
Today was supposed to be more productive in terms of work-work, I have stuff to do and deadline soon, but my head is just not there, although I know I have only this one shot. I talked to a friend earlier this week and she was as burnt-out as I seem to be, so maybe it is not just me. The house needed scrubbing, my head needed haircut, dogs needed walk and some play time and my love for baking needed to see another episode of Baking with Julia. Plus there is never better time to chop some firewood than Saturday afteroon.
It’s past dinner, chicken was actually overdone and so were potatoes, but the veggies soaked all the goodnes from the bird and the bird smelled by the veggies, so I guess it was edible.
Lazy to make real danishes, I have at least prepared a rich yeast dough for tomorrow and will try some semi-braided thingy filled with other yummy thingies… Inspired from the morning TV, no kidding. Chompy’s napping and seems to have some wild REMs...

back from Christmas

Everything has to end one day. This time it was the last day of the year being also the last day of my vacation in the Czech Republic. I wrote this when I woke up in the middle of the night, still jet-lagged, so what comes to my mind first is the end. On the way to the airport we saw a big full moon hanging low and big above Prague. It was almost surreal. And when the plane took off from Prague and climbed above the clouds, there was a circular rainbow, a strange halo effect formed by the early morning sun, heavy clouds and our point of view. The plane flew through this circle of colors formed on the clouds, it was a ghostly view.



But it was great visit. I spent most of the time with my parents, sister and her family, but managed to meet my friends too and it was really nice. Czech beer is still very good, my dad’s slivovitz still a ‘rocket fuel’, and the best place at home is the old bench in the dining room. I had most fun with the little boy from my sister, Matej. He accepted me as his buddy right away, played with me and let me take him out a couple of times, just the two of us. Once we strolled through the town and met some people I should have recognized, but did not, once we walked to watch the trains arrive and depart from our small train station. Mat talks and understands what he’s told and also picks up English words. I’d teach him English names for fruits in the supermarket and next day he’d remember them just like that. One can see he has his own thoughts and makes you feel that he’s a person already. Small, but a person. How much he loves his dad is impossible to describe. I am a bit jealous that I don’t get to see a kid like him growing up on my own. Just a tiny bit, though.

Christmas Eve with this two-year old boy was a great one. We had more fun than ever with preparing it all perfect, the tree, the dinner and the presents and to make it all surprise for the boy. I am not sure how much fun the little one had, but we had our share for sure. The dinner was great just because it was a potato salad with fried carp as usual. My parents got a surprise present and Mathew got so many that he did not even open all his boxes. We were comfy and happy together and so I think, mission accomplished, thanks to my sis, mostly.

Almost there

It is warming up again, the next few days will be quite messy and I am not looking forward to it. But, I am looking forward finally washing that ultra-warm sweater from Hana. I don't feel ready for Christmas yet, but one last trip to Cheyenne will hopefully cure me from that.

Last night I baked coconut bars and managed to ice them as well, not mentioning mixing a half gallon of Bloody Mary for the Christmas party I ended up going. All thanks to my dear friend being notoriously late... which this time did not bother me for obvious reasons. I was creative and productive. So was Keith, his candied orange peels are delicious.
This morning I have just finished the bars with chocolate and prepared icing for gingerbreads. Not being very skillful, my Christmas butts are not the most impressive ones, but... they are here.



I am looking forward going home and at the same time feel like missing something, not exactly sure what. I guess I'd like to have Christmas here in my own home. It would have been even nicer if it was with a special guy, it is my fantasy and I believe it will happen. I would also like all my family to come over once... maybe we'll win lottery one day :)
Oh, Wait, wait, don't tell me is on...

OC

"The" season is really here, isn't it? It's past St. Nicholas, no devil took any of my nephews away, back at in the semi-pagan Czech lands... I did manage to buy some Christmas gifts, although I was even prepared to go home empty handed... and while spending money I've discovered the candy of my youth in Target! Yey! I finished the whole bag in one afternoon somewhere between Bed Bath and Beyond and Michael's and was absolutely not ready to face the crowds in the mall. Partly from feeling uneasy after eating so much sugar. It was dreadful and i managed to sneak through only three more stores, not buying anything at all. Later that weekend I decided to try to make gingerbread cookies, the second time in my life. They smell nice and can be really good. They are one type of cookies my mom never made and so I am kind of pioneering the road. SO far no accidents and will ice them later in the week. Keith's tree is already decorated, sitting in the living room, mine is semi-decorated too
Half of my mind is already at home and I am thinking about being with my folks and my sis... It will be the first time we'd have the Christmas dinner in other place than my parents' and I am looking forward to it. It does not mean we won't have to make the potato salad and bring it with us, which will be fun.
I remember having Christmas with Luis, once in Bethesda, one year in Laramie, once he came with me home, to Unicov (it was really brave of him). It was really nice to see someone from the other hemisphere observing how central-European keep these small traditions of cookies and the tree and carp for dinner... and I did enjoy tremendously preparing the Christmas eve for him, when I did.
I guess I do enjoy these things and in a way it is my expression of care and affection, I guess like my mom's. So when I go home, I have to let her pamper me, as long as she can. This year again I'll be a guest at home again :)

pushing my luck

I have made a sourdough rye bread this past week, it ended delicious and just a bit too white, since I followed the book recipe to the point (except the wait times). So yesterday I started a new starter and grew it up and will repeat, but of course, with minor modifications like some whole wheat flour etc. The first stage is documented already... I am going to knead it and shape it and to complete my luck cycle, leave ti alone the whole rest of the day! Christmas shopping is awaiting! And, I may try to see the little rascal rat-baby Chompers.
If I am in the mood, I may try to make some gingerbread later after I come back as well... what do you say?

one to Mitch

Last year, about this time I was seeing a guy who had many qualities I liked, some I didn't, and who showed me a different view on the everyday world. He had a house slightly larger than mine and I have instantly loved that place. It was decorated really nicely and there was a fireplace. I did not know at that time how long I'll stay here, if at all. My work was not fulfilling me too much, but there was something that kept me here. A few months later I knew I had to settle. There was no relationship and there was no more joy at work, but got a house with a fireplace. I knew how long the winters here seem and how they can get under your skin. I want to thank my friend for opening my eyes to that one thing, which keeps me enjoying my evenings even when alone. Having a place where I can contemplate, feel like a cavemen, be one with the world and master the fire, somehow makes me be ready for another day.
I had to work on it to get it looking good, blisters healed and dust settled and I am happy I have done it.

Remember that post about being afraid and being hurt? It is somewhere down there. I guess I was afraid of being hurt and that's why I did get hurt. On the other hand I know now that I can go on again and I know now that I have love inside me to give. Maybe I will be afraid to give it again in the future, because being hurt is not fun, but one cannot blame but himself.
Maybe walking with your heart on your palm is not so fashionable anymore and maybe it even scares people. Maybe it just does not belong to this world, but I dream about meeting a man I could walk towards with my heart open and he would take it. And he would understand that what I am doing comes from a pure feeling, not a loath, not a trick, not a power play. Maybe I met one like this before and that is it... maybe I let the chance go. But I still have lots of love to give and I am not that old :)

Midnight fire is fading slowly and ashes crackle just a little bit. It would be nice to have a guy to hug and hold here right now, wouldn't it?
:)

There are days when things all of sudden become alive and you see that life flows around you the way you have not seen in a while. All of sudden the weather changes, gets really cold, it snows... all of sudden the dog obeys the command from last night... or your friend spends her time with you via webcam and it feels really nice, like visiting her. All of sudden baking the sourdough rye bread does not seem such a challenge and you are willing to risk one more disaster with it. And also you realize that although you cannot change things, by accepting them you actually do change how you perceive them, and that's all there is to it. Some days are just like that.
I am keeping my dreams alive, because that's what makes my days colorful. And I guess it is OK they are just dreams for now.