One Sunday afternoon, Moi Moi, a long-time friend from Kay-El, came visiting. Earlier she had said that she'd teach me how to make bread, since I already possessed the Break Maker machine. So Moi Moi came bringing along some gms. of dried yeast. BTW, this friend of mine is an expert in making all sorts of bread, having taken a course at the prestigous Taylor's College. We got the 'new' Bread Maker (it had been hiding in its box since I bought it about 3 years ago - never ever once been used!) But horrow of horrows! The most important part - the paddle - was not to be found! So how to use the machine to make bread? It was ok with Moi2, "We'll use our hands instead to knead the dough. Well, that was how it was done originally. Now the oven - Have you used this expensive microwave of yours for baking," Moi2 asked just like a teacher would.
"Er.... No. I use it only to heat food." I answered sheepishly.
"What?" Moi2 snorted, "All these ten years, you use it only for heating?" Hee, hee, hee. I didn't say anything. "Now, where's your Instruction book?" Luckily, the little book was still intact. "Look," Moi2 pointed out. "There's a recipe for Sweet Buns using the Convection method of your Microwave."
So with that Moi Moi began her first lesson in bread-making for this rather 'slow' student. She showed me how to use the Convection method of my microwave - then only I realised, I don't need an extra oven! That afternoon, my friend and I enjoyed hot sweet buns filled with sausages and hot cups of tea.
What has got to do with my new passion? Well, it so happened that a shop that sells all baking needs in town, was organising baking classes on Sunday afternoons. I enrolled excitedly. To cut the story short, I learnt how to make among other things - apple pie (my favourite), puff pastry, cup cakes, banana loaf, potato buns, cream puffs, wholemeal bread, sweet buns and even yam cake! And E-V-E-R-Y DAY during this school holidays, I've been trying out the recipes learnt AND using my Microwave oven. Poor oven - it had been resting for TEN years until Moi Moi 'woke' it up! My family made fun of me, saying that it is only a passing passion - just like sewing, craft-works and blog-writing. Never mind . . Iman, the teen-ager, simply loves my try-outs although the process is not helping her in her dieting during the school hols. Before ending, I must note it here that I sold 11 Banana loaves to my Taichi croonies - my first sale ever.
Well this sudden interest I hope will not end just yet because I have more than 200 recipes in my collection since 1971 to try out. And what about the rows of Cookery Books in the kitchen cabinet!
6 comments:
At last, at last.....she back!
Correction.."At last, at last...she's back"
Few things can compare with the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through a house.
Many years ago when the first bread making machines came on the market, my wife bought one. Within days of getting it we had to vacate our house within minutes because a huge wildfire that had already consumed hundreds of houses had veered towards our area. We scrambled to think of what to stuff into our car in the 10 minutes the firefighters gave the residents to get out. I remember we took our passports, some photo albums and, inexplicably, the breadmaker :)
Alang,
Back from where?
Hi Louis,
That's exactly what my friend, Moi Moi said - "the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through the house".
The breadmaker is that important uh?
Thanks for the visit, Louise. And that amusing anecdote :)
You know where....
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