From Twitter 12-22-2009

• 10:47:57: morning, tweeps and peeps. Waiting for the nurse, then off to the shop to buy Christmas food. Very boring.
  
• 12:09:03: @jonk Yeah, and where is Braniff today? I love these "future predictions" because they always turn out wide of the mark! Thanks for the link
  
• 12:09:32: Why shag? Aren't the beds in First Class good enough? RT @jonk: where's my plane with shag carpeting goddammit?!
  
• 13:18:32: @fonsus I am so so sorry...your grandma and you and your family are in my prayers.
  
• 14:23:41: Nurse came, IV bag leaked, so I'm off the IV antibiotics as of today. Still taking metronidazole 'til Xmas--no drinking *sob*.
  
• 14:30:40: Today's Animal Vid: http://is.gd/5xjmv but do watch out. No drinking coffee at the keyboard while watching this.
  
• 17:04:37: Whew! Back from the supermarket wth the Xmas shop: had a hypo in the aisles, nearly fainted but ate a KitKat and now I'm OK.
  
• 21:49:20: Made a broccoli and Stilton soup for dinner tonight. Very tasty. Accidentally left the gas on under it for 3/4 hour: FAIL! One bowl only...
  

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Today's baking

I decided a few days ago that I would do some baking before Christmas. But not the usual stuff (pies and cakes). A bread that I remember from my misspent youth is Anadama bread. It's a bread which uses not only wheat flour but cornmeal and molasses. There is even a story behind it!

"It took me 2 years of trial and error to get the perfect Anadama recipe and this is it. The culmination of many variations, it makes the best toast, which we serve with our own strawberry jam. Originally the bread was perfected in Maine and eaten by fishermen. The wives would make cornmeal mush for their tired and cold husbands coming off the fishing boats. One day a fisherman tired of just cornmeal mush said to his wife, 'Anna, damn it, I'm tired of mush - make bread,' and she did and he called it Anadama bread. How true, I don't know, but it makes all us Mainers laugh!"--Granes Fairhaven Inn, Bath, Maine

I discovered my bread pans are too small, so the bread didn't rise as much as it would have in two pans since I had to use three. However, it's quite tasty and I think it will make lovely toast.

Recipe:

1 cup molasses
1/2 lb margarine
3-1/2 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
7 cups flour, divided into two equal portions
1 tsp salt
2 pkg dry yeast

Bring just to boiling point molasses, margarine, and water. Lower heat to simmer and add cornmeal, whisking as you add slowly. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. In large bowl mix all dry ingredients except last 3-1/2 cups flour. Add cooled wet ingredients to dry and beat for 2 minutes. Add last 3-1/2 cups flour and blend with hands. Turn out on floured board and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour if needed for right bread consistency. Let rise in greased bowl until double; punch down and let rest 5 minutes. Make into 2 loaves and put in two 9x5-inch greased bread pans. Let rise until double again. Bake at 400 degrees F (gas mark 6 for you UKans) for 45-50 minutes. Cool on rack.

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Tomorrow I'm going to make "Grapenut Pudding" for Xmas dessert. Another artifact of my youth. It is easier than doing Squash Pie. However, will have to buy lots of milk tonight after dinner.