What's the weather outside like?
It's fall in SE Louisiana. That means we need another blanket at night to sleep comfortably. Temps are getting down into the low fifties at night, high sixties and seventies in the day. So soups, beef stew, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, and, if you're going to be a SE Louisiananian, red beans, and rice are all comfort foods that suddenly sound good.
Making heat in the kitchen is not a huge sin anymore. And there is where we find me, my loyal blog readers. I'm still trying to bake "The Loaf of Bread," and I'm so close. The reason I'm getting close is a beginning to understand what I've done wrong when I fail.
Dough to wet. Dough to dry. Too much kneading. Not enough yeast. More time in the oven. Make adjustments in the baking temperature based on the realization that the temperature of our oven is not correct. DO NOT USE A BREAD MACHINE. Be careful of using a hand mixer. After all, is said and done, maybe just use a wooden spoon to mix the dough. All-Purpose Flour V Bread Flour?
I won't say there are more variables than a good golf swing, but I think I'm closer to making better bread than I ever got to be a good golfer. I'm making an acceptable sourdough. I love my new recipe for white sandwich bread. (My ultimate test is how it tastes without butter. The next test is how it toasts.) Now it's on to Challah Bread.
Outdoors at Camp Jeff
I've got to admit, because of our climate, and despite it being mid-November, it's nice to sit out on the deck and read while I consume my second or third cup of coffee in the morning. While my little friend is not out there with me every morning, I see him enough that I think of him as my companion.
That's all from Camp Jeff for this week, except Go Pack!
It's fall in SE Louisiana. That means we need another blanket at night to sleep comfortably. Temps are getting down into the low fifties at night, high sixties and seventies in the day. So soups, beef stew, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, and, if you're going to be a SE Louisiananian, red beans, and rice are all comfort foods that suddenly sound good.
Making heat in the kitchen is not a huge sin anymore. And there is where we find me, my loyal blog readers. I'm still trying to bake "The Loaf of Bread," and I'm so close. The reason I'm getting close is a beginning to understand what I've done wrong when I fail.
Dough to wet. Dough to dry. Too much kneading. Not enough yeast. More time in the oven. Make adjustments in the baking temperature based on the realization that the temperature of our oven is not correct. DO NOT USE A BREAD MACHINE. Be careful of using a hand mixer. After all, is said and done, maybe just use a wooden spoon to mix the dough. All-Purpose Flour V Bread Flour?
I won't say there are more variables than a good golf swing, but I think I'm closer to making better bread than I ever got to be a good golfer. I'm making an acceptable sourdough. I love my new recipe for white sandwich bread. (My ultimate test is how it tastes without butter. The next test is how it toasts.) Now it's on to Challah Bread.
Outdoors at Camp Jeff
I've got to admit, because of our climate, and despite it being mid-November, it's nice to sit out on the deck and read while I consume my second or third cup of coffee in the morning. While my little friend is not out there with me every morning, I see him enough that I think of him as my companion.
I haven't named him yet. Any ideas?
I will share this with you. Despite an alarming resemblance, he does not speak English with an Australian accent or pitch me on the value of a certain auto insurance brand. In fact, he doesn't speak or make any audible sound I can hear. I'm told he eats bugs. Can't be all bad, right? For the record, I've spotted as many as four of these critters at the same time, and I can't tell them apart.
Work? Oh Yeah
Besides helping my compadres on the Common Ground Watershed Team with some research, I have recommitted to maintaining EastSide Milwaukee's Community Council's website. To help out my overburdened wife, I just published Little Bird Design's website. (It does need more work, but we had to go live ASAP) Plus, I have in the wings the all-new LennyNaglersArt. This is also my task as editor of the Facebook pages for Metro Go and Transit Services Advisory Committee (TSAC). So I've still occupied with all things Milwaukee.
Shameless commercial:
I hope all of my Milwaukee friends joined me in making a contribution to UrbanMilwaukee.com's expansion fund. If not, and you want to help out. Click Here These guys are really one of the best and often the best news source in your fair city and, I think, deserve support.
When I volunteered at Historic Milwaukee (HMI), my former boss, Anne Marie Opgenorth, ever so active in the Historic Preservation movement, emailed me about an event they have to promote the vision and help build support for the organization. I can tell you when I was a guide for HMI, out-of-town guests constantly commented on the beauty of the older built environment in Milwaukee. It is a priceless asset of Milwaukee and must be defended from those who only see value in the empty lot. Hop on over to this inviting beer bash and get to know the people watching the pot boil for you on this issue.
Wisconsin Trust for
Historic PreservationRendez-VousNovember 17, 20155–7 pmBest Place, Historic Pabst Brewery901 W. Juneau Ave.
That's all from Camp Jeff for this week, except Go Pack!
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