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Thursday, 12 April 2012

Bread Class


Years ago, I went with my aunt and uncle to Bhutan. Their daughter and son in law were working there as doctors.
I loved Bhutan. After the heat and dust of Madras, as she was then known, Bhutan was a complete contrast. Wind swept mountains, sparse vegetation, a peasant or two here and there, the freezing mountain air and clear, ice cold streams of water full of rainbow trout. How the fish could survive in that freezing water is a mystery.

One morning, I woke up to the aroma of freshly baked bread. I went to the kitchen to find my cousin shaping loaves and buns. I was hooked instantly. That morning, we had the buns with cheese, butter and marmalade; I don't think I have ever had a more splendid breakfast in my life.

Over the years, I have tried making bread but with unsatisfactory results.
Then, about 8 years ago, my mother sent me a bread machine. One puts the components of bread - flour, yeast, sugar and water into this gadget and then it is switched on. The machine does its job and at the end of about 3 hours, out comes a loaf of bread.
That inspired me to learn more about bread making. Plenty of trial and error followed; after all, the path to success is strewn with failures!

I will be teaching a 2-day bread class "Bread of Life" on April 14 & 21 and a second batch on April 17 & 19. The classes are from 10.30am-2.30pm.

You will learn to make herb focaccia, mini brioche, lite wholemeal seed bread, sesame seed rolls, cheese bread, Swedish tea ring and the shaping of buns.
The classes will be held at Kottivakkam.

Mini brioche buns


Focaccia with herbs

5 comments:

  1. Do you teach only ladies?

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  2. How amazing that you remembered the bread we used to bake on an Aga stove and firewood all those years ago in GidaKom Hospital in Bhutan....was it 1973 0r 1974? It was always a challenge to get the dough to rise when the temperatures were so cold outside. I used to leave it near the fireplace overnight and PRAY really hard that it would be ready in the morning !

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    Replies
    1. SusieK, you have no idea how much I have learnt from you. 1972, I think. And those were the best I have ever tasted Thank you,love you so much.

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    2. Sorry, the coronation year, '73?

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