Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Gourmet Warehouse / New Shoes / Pastries / Construction


This shot is of yesterday's moon setting in the West. The sky revealed itself yesterday morning in beautiful shades of purple. I took the photo out my office window. I cannot live without a view of the ocean. It is like a friend.

It stayed glorious all day, so I walked to Gourmet Warehouse for a first visit. I got bread making tools and had a thoroughly wonderful time checking out everything that they carry. Walking home with a huge sheet of square pizza stone put a lot of stress on my back. It was heavy, so I bought some fabulous new shoes. (I am Imelda.)


                                                                      
Yesterday I “fed” my mother — “mother,” being the starter one keeps for baking bread. It is moist yeast compound and I had never fed mother before. So I did as I had been instructed at school. I mixed together measured amounts of water and flour, and added a bit of the mother I’d brought home from school the week before. I put the new mixture in a sealed container on my kitchen counter.

This morning, there was mother all over my counter. The container had exploded. My mother is strong. So now it is in the fridge and ready for baking on the next day of rain.
                                                                      


I am still stoked by the outcome of the croissants, pain au chocolate and Danishes I made last week. The cross section of one almond croissant (above) revealed good structure. Part of their success is the professional oven at the school. When I make my first breads and patisseries here, I will face challenges. My oven cannot become as hot nor does it have an efficient misting system. So today I am off to Gourmet Warehouse seeking compensatory options.
                                                                      

Directly across the street from me —the view I look directly at — is an entire city block that is bordered by Burrard St. (West), Drake St. (S), Hornby St. (E) and Davie St. (N). This past week, Hydro has put the flags up on the telephone wires on those blocks and so I know construction is about to begin on the third largest building in Vancouver. There is likely two years of heavy construction noise and dust ahead. And for the next two summers, opening my windows open is going to be questionable policy. Pray for me.

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