I'm back!

[egalecki]

My job's gone belly up (this is not actually a bad thing at this point) and I can't wait to get started baking again!

If the rain will ever stop, that is...

Going to pull out my sourdough and see if it's gross or not. If so, I still have some dried in the freezer. I'm sure I'll have to get my "bread legs" back- I literally haven't baked anything in months. I have a backlog of spent grain in packages in the freezer and some new bannetons to use!

DH (otherwise known as Wilson) is talking about brewing again, so I should get on with using up my current stash. He went through a long hiatus when he was hit by a truck while riding his bike. It's good that he's feeling up to brewing again.

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: I'm back!

My job went belly up as well ( well I'm quitting or shutting the doors how ever you want to put it). It's official today I need to find a new line of work. Fast before what money I have runs out.

I see your in Virginia I'm in the SW how about you?

I've had one of those earth shaking days so perhaps working with my sourdough would cheer me up.

Happy baking!

[egalecki]

Re: I'm back!

Also in SWVA. Sorry you're having to hurry for another job- it's always harder to feel like you're making a good decision when you feel pressed. I'm just fortunate that I don't have to work right now.

I find that baking always makes me feel better- I've been so stressed while I was working and so short of time that I let it go. That was a mistake. I should have found time to do at least a little. Not only have we eaten a fair amount of very mediocre bread, I missed the feel of dough in my hands and the smell of homemade bread baking!

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: I'm back!

egalecki, I sent you a private message.

[nissanneill]

Re: I'm back!

Welcome back Elizabeth, good to see you back on deck!
My job also went belly up, well at least the school was moved to right across town, over an hours traveling during peak time as well, so I spat the dummy and went for a package.
Got a worthwhile sum out of the govt which I stashed away, got bored in semi retirement so started up a home handyman business and have 2 months fully booked up work at present.
So, what seems a bit of a disaster at present can open up new and challenging opportunities around the corner.


Neill

[texassourdough]

Re: I'm back!

Good to have you back Elizabeth. We will look forward to hearing of your adventures in and around the oven.

Be well!
Jay

[Wiley]

Re: I'm back!

Yes, Good to have you back.

And soon it will be time to start the garden again!

Bests,
Wiley

[egalecki]

Re: I'm back!

As for the garden- I can't wait. I had a great garden last summer- I canned 100 pints of salsa and lost track of the pints and quarts of sauce, plain tomatoes and crushed. I got a bit happy with the transplants (um 20 plants makes a LOT of product!)

Some of the bounty:

[Les]

Re: I'm back!

Hey Girl! Welcome back. How is your starter? I lost mine last month. The settings on our outside fridge got tweaked and froze it solid. I was thinking of giving it a try to live but decided to start over. Great to have you back on the forum - your insight on baking has always been appreciated. Tell Wilson hi!

Les...

[egalecki]

Re: I'm back!

I fed the starter earlier- it didn't smell too bad, so I'll give it a whack. If it just lies there, I have some dried frozen. (learned my lesson last time!)

I have some dough going right now- sort of a modified no-knead recipe with bread and ww flours, and oat bran and flaxseed. We'll see how it bakes up tomorrow. I got the oven dried out today- it actually took longer to get the wood dried out than the oven, I swear. We've had lots of rain in the past couple of weeks, after almost none for better than a month.

[Les]

Re: I'm back!

We've had lots of rain in the past couple of weeks.

I welcome rain - it's the white stuff I am tired of. For 26 years I have been successful with a shovel - Nature finally won, I bought a snow blower. Spring is in the air - I plan on firing the oven next week.

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: I'm back!

I maintain three starters, white, WW, Rye so if your starters don't recover let me know.

[egalecki]

Re: I'm back!

I made Wilson buy a snow blower this year after last year's huge snowfalls. Between his bike accident, not getting any younger, and having to remove snow from all our apartment buildings decks and walks, I just didn't want him to have to do it with a shovel.

Then we didn't get any snow.

Of course, we didn't get any rain to speak of either, so it's been very, very dry here. Lots of brush fires. We've finally begun getting rain, and it's nice, but I don't think we needed it all at once....

To bring this back somewhat to topic, (sorry, I wander...) my sourdough is bubbling a bit. Going to dump half and feed it again. It stills smells appropriate- it's just a bit sluggish. I think I'll feed it half rye this time and we'll see if it likes that.

[egalecki]

Re: I'm back!

Wow. My sourdough went from a few bubbles to waaay active! I came out yesterday morning after feeding it again the night before to find it all over the counter.

so this is what I baked today, in the wfo. All sourdough.

[ronzorelli]

Re: I'm back!

Wow. My sourdough went from a few bubbles to waaay active! I came out yesterday morning after feeding it again the night before to find it all over the counter.

so this is what I baked today, in the wfo. All sourdough.

Those are gorgeous.