They (River Cottage Bread Making TV programme) made it look so easy that somehow it broke through my previous misgivings and attempts and set me on a path of trying again.
The past month or so I have turned my hand to bread making (Real(!) breadmaking– NOT the breadmaker style!!). I am pretty experienced when it comes to baking and cooking but bread making has been one thing that I just had not quite mastered.
The other day I went to a kitchen ware supplier and looked into the interesting array of tins that they had – some especially for bread. Upon making my decision to purchase I duly took it to the counter. The assistant entered into interested talk about what I was going to make in them. I told her that I had started making bread and wanted to make a fruit and nut bread loaf that afternoon. I indicated I was fairly new to it all and that each time you made bread you could not quite guarantee that it would turn out quite like the last one – she remarked that that was pretty much true for any baking! I went away thinking in one way that was true but I feel much more confident that when I decide to bake biscuits, slices or cakes I pretty much can relax and expect something to be made that is similar to what I always make. I guess my familiarity with baking makes me relaxed about it’s outcome. Bread making has not quite got to that level for me yet -but I am working on changing that. After many times buying a jar of yeast I can at last celebrate using up one whole jar of yeast before it’s expiry date!!
Several times a week now I embark on bread making – trying new recipes and going back to some of the ones I have done before – I am wanting to get my bread making skills on a par with my other baking skills. To do that I need to get familiar with the recipes and how things are done in the world of bread making – you quickly learn that if the proving part does not go so well the bread in the end will not be great. If you cut down on the effort involved in kneading you will also get a different bread. The one thing that bread making takes is time – and quite a bit sometimes of coming and doing something and then leaving it and then coming back and doing a bit more and then leaving it – it can be patience shaping or depleting!! But very rewarding too if you see a loaf doubled in size from when it went into a warm place to prove.
Of course I haven’t abandoned my baking interest and replaced it with bread making – the two can run alongside each other and learn from each other. And it’s always important when learning something new to keep going with something that you know well - it’s good for one’s general stability and equilibrium.
In bread making (as in baking) to fully understand how something works we need to understand it – what conditions it needs - whether it needs time or space or what happens when something gets added to it – after a while you learn enough to almost do it automatically ….To spend time understanding how my bread is going to turn out I need to actually spend some time making bread – practicing – sometimes successfully and other times not so!
As you embark on another (or begin your first) semester may Carey be a place where you are inspired to take on new challenges, celebrate your achievements along the way and continue on with those you have already achieved. And may you in turn inspire others.
Neroli A Hollis
18 July 2011 Semester 1
TUESDAY 19th
Community Worship 11:15am-12pm
Facilitated by Deborah Henderson and David Bosma
Speaker: Thalia Kehoe-Rowden
After Dinner Mints @ lunch
Chris Hight is the Senior Therapist, Counselling Team Leader and Trainer of the AskChris team and part of Windsor Park’s Counselling Centre. Chris has 15 years experience as a counsellor. Chris is married to Stuart who is in the Air Force and has 2 married children and 5 grandchildren.
WEDNESDAY 20th
Principal's Call to Prayer
12:40-1:00pm
Charles keenly invites you to join with him and other staff members to pray in regard to the appointment of two new Biblical Study Academics @ Carey. This is an exciting time for us as a college and we must seek God’s leading.
UPCOMING EVENTS
19 July Orientation for new Students in Semester 2 @ 5pm
NOTICES FROM NEROLI
Remember that from today any change of enrolment (except if it is just changing levels) will incur a $50 change of enrolment fee.
I will be away on leave Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th July – so either see me before that date or after it to change/update your courses/details J
Semester One results are being gathered and transcripts will be done once I have received all the results – these should be appearing soon in your pigeon hole (or by mail for distance students). If you think you have completed a qualification please put in your Application for Graduation form which can be found at the reception desk or email registrar@carey.ac.nz and I will email it back to you.
New students to Carey in semester two are invited to an informal Orientation Evening on Tuesday 19th July at 5pm. At this event we will help introduce you to some of the finer details about study at Carey Baptist College and also provide you with a light meal. We trust you can join us for this time. It is expected to be over by 6:15 – 6:30pm.
LIBRARY
Come to the library to grab a bargain. We are having a book sale.
Hardback $1.00 and paperback $0.50
Be quick, at this price it won't last.
CAREY PRAYER CHAIN
We’re keen to offer faithful, daily prayer for students, lecturers and friends/family – please email your requests to carey.prayer@gmail.com or anonymously in Nigel Irwin’s pigeon hole if you wish. And if you’d like to join the prayer-chain, let me (Nigel) know. James 5:16, Phil 4:6