Thursday 29 March 2018

Now, Back To Our Regular Programming (Feasts & Festivals)

Dear hordes of followers and culinary friends:

It has been a while since there's been time to get anything cranked out on this little blog, but here's a quick update.

NEW group of delightful wonderful students.

NEW cooking adventures.

SAME OLD 'make me cookies' day to start the semester, with the predictable inedible results.

It is now the week before Easter (the holiday begins tomorrow), and I just wanted to share a few photos and snippets.

Every culture has a faith tradition, and some have several. In our course we celebrate whatever comes along, with food and discussion and a map. Who does what, where? A couple of weeks ago we joined in with our Persian friends and students to celebrate Nowrooz (New Year), making Tachin. In a fortnight we'll be enjoying latkes with apple sauce (although the kids clamour for bacon bits too, and we tell them this is a no-no)!

Yesterday we made time to create our own Hot Cross Buns.
These were, for quite a long time, deemed illegal EXCEPT at Easter. Now that has been relaxed, but these buns are some of the last reminders of the seasonality of celebratory breads!

We started by making the dough ...
a basic easy-to-do-in-a-bowl dough.

Let it rise then cut into a dozen rolls and proof, covered

Apply the 'hot cross' to each.

Bake.

Stand outside the ovens looking in while the baking is happening, impatiently trying not to drool.

Rack the results.

Share and enjoy.

Happy Easter, everyone!

And at the very end, thank goodness for everyone who pitched in and completed the kitchen clean-up.