The Caffeine in your Tea

Tea in the Garden Giclee Print
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There is an interesting article here about the caffeine in tea, including the caffeine found in the different types of tea:

http://elmwoodinn.com/about/caffeine.html

Sourdough Bread

Written By Food Editor Bessie Baker Cook

 Ms. R. shared a recipe with me years ago from her friend Mrs. C., for sourdough starter. I will share it here, with my variations.

2 cups flour

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups warm water

Combine all ingredients in a 4-6 cup plastic or glass pitcher, using a plastic or wooden spoon. Cover with cloth and sit in a warm place free from drafts. Let ferment 2-3 days, stirring several times each day. 

Refrigerate with the pitcher lid on, feeding every ten days with equal amounts flour and water (usually 1 cup). Before making bread, leave the starter out overnight, take out what you need in the morning, and put the starter back in the fridge. 

I made this years ago, and had the starter for a long time, but did not keep it up. In the interest of frugality I got out the recipe again and made a new starter. I calculate that I am saving $250 a year (possibly more) by making my own bread. I have a one-month-old starter now, and as I found that I was making bread every day or every other day, I left the starter out on the cupboard. Also, I fed it a little more so that I could make a double batch of bread every once in a while. It is alive so far, and my children and I make several batches of beautiful bread every week. 

I take out the starter I need when I make bread, then immediately stir in flour and water to replace the amount I took out. 

Above: a beautiful mixing bowl can work for your starter, keep a plate or a towel over the top. I have recently switched to a pitcher I ordered from Pampered Chef that has a "plunger" in it; this enables me to stir it frequently without the messy spoon.

The Bread

First you make the sponge:

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into bowl. Add 1 teaspoon yeast and stir gently. Add 2 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp sugar, and stir (I have used molasses in place of the sugar, and even left out some of the salt, with good results). Pour in 1 cup starter (1 cup ricotta cheese is optional, for a moist bread). Add 1/2 cup oatmeal and mix well. Add 3 cups flour, one at a time, and mix well. Put uncovered into oven (oven should be off!) and let rise for an hour. 

Then the dough:

After an hour, gently stir sponge down and stir in 1cup flour (you can also put in flax seed meal, or other favorite grains). Put 1/2 cup flour on the table and turn out bread dough to knead. Knead 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide into two and roll out with a rolling pin. Roll up into loaves and up in greased loaf pans. Let rise 1-2 hours. Bake a 350 F. for 35 minutes.  

I rarely roll my dough out for loaves; I use the "squish" method, which works just as well, but perhaps the top is more lumpy. I do many different things with the dough, as a matter of fact. As my starter is souring but not yet really sour, I even make cinnamon rolls with it. 

Here's a baking tip: I cover my small table with freezer paper, shiny side up, and tape it around the edges. It makes for easy clean up and provides a giant protected work surface for when the children help!

Above: Here is my one-pan method of baking for the family. Dinner rolls, bread sticks for the evening stew, and a loaf of bread for toast at breakfast. I made enough dinner rolls so that everyone could have one fresh out of the oven. 

Above: after the rising; below: after the baking. 

While on the subject of bread, this book makes for an interesting read- Bread: The Breads of the World and How to Bake Them At Home by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter

I am enjoying this book, and learning a lot about the history of bread and the art of bread making. 

"We are enlightened now..."

Tea Party Art Print
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Some tea-lover was telling me about these new Boston-style Tea Parties that are cropping up here and there. She thought it a grand idea to join in by having a cup of tea as a protest (you have to understand about tea lovers-- they will take any excuse to have a cup). 

"Wait a minute...." I said, "didn't they throw the tea overboard into the sea at the Boston tea party?" 

"Yes," she replied, "but we are a lot more enlightened now, and we drink the tea."

The Boston Tea Party

Giclee Print

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More Braided Trim- and Something For Dolly

Above: Some braid made of wide ribbon, with pastel pony beads braided in. This trim is the handle of a purse...
...that is made of bright butterfly fabric that has some sparkle to it. It is a nice little bag to store some necessities for dolly, such as a bottle or change of clothes. 
Above is a bit of "home made" trim on dolly's new dress. 

Here are some dolly accessories (clockwise from hat): crocheted beret, muff, and booties. 

The muff and booties were easy to make. They were just quick single-crocheted rectangles slip-stitched together at one side to make a tube (for the muff) or at the side and bottom (to make the booties). Ribbon bows make them charming. 

(Above: the underside of the dolly beret) The hat is a scaled-down version of a beret found years ago in a Leisure Arts publication. If you know how to crochet in the round, this is very easy. For the top of the beret, you simply alternate rows of crochet and increases, keeping your work flat. When your top is deemed big enough, start decreasing for the underside of the beret. Decrease until  you reach the head size you are trying to fit.