Bread Test - more butter - Company Coming!

Thursday, October 14

Another gorgeous fall day.

The road crew finished and we feel quite 'citified' now. The last step will be painting the center line, passing zones and the white strip on the edges. I know it is much more pleasant to drive on now.

From October 2010

Bread

I have thought for some time that the quality of my bread was dropping. It tasted good but was heavy and didn't rise nearly as tall as previous times.....it sinks into my brain slowly but I finally realized this all began when I started using the flour I had bought at a local Amish store. I tasted it and it had a distinctive bitter taste....20 lbs of it! So I quit using it.....still not happy with the bread. So..........slow to arrive at this again, I thought maybe the SAF yeast wasn't good.....bought it in the same place. I have used it for a long time, but always ordered it from KA Flour and my sis brought me some once.
Yesterday, I bought fresh yeast like I used to use. I made the same recipe and only changed the yeast. Voila! It is probably 2 inches or more taller and has a nice soft texture. Even my husband said it was amazing the difference. I don't even remember if I checked the date on the yeast or not now. I am feeling better about my baking techniques now.

Company Coming

My sis and her husband are coming down for a few days so that means housecleaning. Each time we have company, I always say I will keep everything ship shape all the time...it is silly not to when it is just the two of us. I don't though.....so. Cleaned two bathrooms, cleaned (h&K) bedroom hardwood floor.
Washed dining room curtains and windows, washed living room windows. Cleaned back porch area (it has to be done daily....it is a mudroom). All that is left is daily maintenance until they come.

I haven't decided on food yet but bread is made. I am leaning toward an apricot cobbler/pie and shortbread cookies with chopped pecans for snacking.

I made butter again last night. I was right my three milkings keep us in eating butter now. I had just used the last of previous butter. I set the remaining milk for buttermilk.