[aaronatthedoublef]

My first house had a living Christmas tree that the previous owner had set outside between the house and garage. It was taller than the house 35 years later. I took it down because it was a hazard and added immense value to my neighbors as I gave them water views!

Anyone remember the old, Ewell Gibbons Grapenuts commercial?

[aaronatthedoublef]

My first house had a living Christmas tree that the previous owner had set outside between the house and garage. It was taller than the house 35 years later. I took it down because it was a hazard and added immense value to my neighbors as I gave them water views!

Anyone remember the old, Ewell Gibbons Grapenuts commercial?

[aaronatthedoublef]

Chocomouse, are chocolate covered espresso beans a two bean salad?

[aaronatthedoublef]

It's sloppy to send out an email with an out-of-stock product. Even if the flyer has been planned for months in advance it would take seconds to update it. If they were really ambitious they could setup an automated system to link these mails to inventory (I am spending too much time in supply chain these days).

[aaronatthedoublef]

Mike, VERY NICE!

I made my sourdough sandwich bread. I'd been trying a bunch of different things but too many things at once so I went back to the basics. I added some Penzy's Greek spice mix and it gave it a nice added taste.

Violet and I will make more molasses cookies and shortbread cookies today.

I know some of you have used toasted sugar. What's the difference between toasted sugar and brown sugar is taste? I've been using brown sugar in my shortbread for a while but I read a recipe that uses toasted sugar.

[aaronatthedoublef]

We have Breville microwave. I do not like the display which is hard to read unless right next to it and the control buttons are all behind the door. It performs reasonably well but not any better than the Sears one it replaced which was a third the price.

I would love a smaller, counter top oven. We have two in the range but they are both full size. It would great to have a smaller option.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Yesterday Violet and I made shortbread cutouts. Would have worked better if we'd chilled the dough but we didn't have time before she had to go back online for class. And then I had to hide a couple because Violet wants them for Santa and cookies are demolished in our house. I am as bad as the boys!

This morning I made another batch of BA's crackers! I've started adding Penzy's Greek spice mix. It's pretty good. I like the mix of garlic and oregano.

I have my sourdough rising. I came up with a new way to create a warming box. The oven with just the light isn't warm because the light is a small LED. But, I have two pizza stones. If I warm up one and put it in the bottom of a cold oven it gives it a nice temp. I haven't measured it because I do not have any oven thermometers.

For the pan loaves I'm just doing a second rise. For the boule I'm going to let it rise as a round and then shape it and give it another rise before I put it in the oven.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Yesterday I made BA's crackers and then Violet and I made our first batch of cookies. We are in the clear for Covid which is good news. We made my mom's molasses cookie recipe which is soft and spreads but Violet wanted to make them in shapes so we cut out gingerbread girls. Violet was planning on leaving some for Santa and I started laughing. Anyway, there are no cookies left this morning. We made two dozen and each was a couple ounces.

I assured Violet we would make more cookies.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Spacing will be different for different pastas as well. Gnoochi will be different from lasagna from ravioli.

My mom embraced shake n bake as well but she also used corn flakes and even Jays potato chips!

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by aaronatthedoublef.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Pretty neat. And I know it's called "discard" but does anyone really discard some of their starter?

Has anyone ever used starter as a batter for frying? Coat chicken in starter and fry it? I found this online.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks everyone. I am cautiously optimistic.

Atlas Obscura has a St. Lucia's Day baking story today!

[aaronatthedoublef]

My mom used Log Cabin. She would sometimes also make her own which was usually either sugar or corn syrup in water, boiled down a bit. Mom probably had some kind of maple flavoring that she would add. We were three fast eating boys who may have noticed the difference but did not slow down enough to care.

I made BA's crackers yesterday. We were going to start cookie making last weekend but a call came from the school that Violet had been exposed to someone with Covid-19. We won't start baking for others until we're all in the clear.

[aaronatthedoublef]

For Donut Day I made not one but two kinds of donuts to make everyone happy. I had baked chocolate donut batter in the freezer so I thawed it out and baked them. I made pate' a choux and fried that, filled them with jelly, and sprinkled them with extra fine granulated sugar.

It was fun. I used to make choux all the time but haven't made it in years. And I needed to dig out my pastry bag and tips to fill them. Lots of stuff I have not tried in forever. When we lived in Seattle Kate had several French friends and always had me make them profiteroles which was terrifying.

Keeping the oil at the right temp for frying donuts is the big challenge. I'm wondering if a sous vide would work with oil. The sweet spot seems to be between 365-375.

Friday I made sourdough sandwich bread. I tried a few different things and the bread is different. But I changed too many things at once so I do not know what had which affect. Oh well, I'll make more!

[aaronatthedoublef]

Mike points to a book as not being for "beginners". I pulled out one of my oldest baking books to make pate' a choux yesterday. The owner of a Seattle cook shop in Seattle gave me to review. My response was "this is not for beginners". The instructions are sparse and it assumes knowledge and confidence.

It's not at all like a KAF recipe let alone one of their blogs. But I do like the chef's choux because it uses some milk and some water. I remember mixing his recipe with some elements of the recipe in the "Dessert Circus" - much better French baking for beginners because I liked it. Jacques Torres is much more accessible and gives advice like "mix the flour mixture until it stops steaming before adding the eggs" and "add the eggs one at a time and you may not need to add all the eggs". None of this is in the other book and I guess it's assumed the baker will know.

I'm glad I have them both.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks for the words of encouragement about the potato buns! But I won't give up. I measure by weight. It called for 43 g of potato flakes or flour. I may try them again this weekend.

There are two main ethnic groups of Jews - eastern European and Mediterranean and Middle Eastern. Latkes or potato pancakes are traditional for eastern European Jews. Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Jews have sufganiyot which are jelly doughnuts so they are a very traditional Hanukkah treat which is why I created Donut Day. Hanukkah is a great holiday that features gambling - what did you think a dreidel is? - and fried food!

Violet wants chocolate donuts which are easy. I have batter sitting in the freezer and all I need to do is let it thaw. Henry wants Spanish style yeasted donuts which would be more authentic but are much more work.

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