Back in Business - Part 1

Yup! After my dementia episode last night, I am back in the business of blogging. I guess I really needed someone to push me a little to get me going.

During the last few months, I did make some stuff on and off. So just give me some time now to rattle off what I have made and upload the pictures now before I slip into dementia again and forget the password to my Photobucket account.

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I was on a day's leave to finish up my Strategic Management project and boy was I stressed up. In the midst of 'thinking strategically' and squeezing out every ml of brain juice available, I just needed to let off some steam and what better way than to bake a bread. Bread baking is therapeutic with all the kneading and punching. Was I imagining myself to be punching my lecturers for the never ending projects that have to be submitted days within each other? I rumaged through my larder to see what I have on hand and hey presto, I had everything needed to make this Rustic Country Bread Loaf that is brimming with flaxseeds and oats





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Another bread episode is this Mochi Bread which nearly caused the early demise of my Kenwood Major. The bread dough had to be mixed and kneaded with a cooked mochi paste and my dough hook was resisting so much that I was afraid the spindle would snap any moment. As the hook drags and works hard incorporating the resilient mochi paste into the bread dough, I had to hold the the neck of the mixer tightly to reduce the exaggerated movement and pull it had on the mixer. So this is recipe is definitely not for those who owns one of those puny cake mixer.

The cooked mochi paste in the mixing bowl.


Mixing the mochi paste into flour.


The bread dough and mochi paste before kneading with the dough hook.


The dough after some huffing and puffing by my mixer.


Ready for 1st Proof.


After the 1st Proofing.


Proofed dough, ready for the air to be knocked out.


Shaped and ready for 2nd proofing.


Baked and in all its golden glory.


Another view of the buns.

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Then there was this great tasting spicy Mentaiko Spaghetti with a hint of citrus from the addition of lemon rind. This is really a easy-peasy recipe that you can whip up in a jiffy.


And then the Plum Ribs, which is similar to Hugbear's 123 Ribs. I updated the recipe by added mashed chinese sour plums and cola to the marinade. When the ribs were tender after the slow braising, I popped the ribs under the grill to give it a more caramelised taste.


The melt-in-mouth meat with a hint of tangy sour plums.


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I have a couple more pictures but I guess I will just stop here for the moment and continue later with the rest of the pictures.