May 5, 2009 - 1:03pm
Caveat emptor
Last night I went to an event labelled "Artisan Bread" at the local grange, choosing this over an evening with Elizabeth George and a popular gardening writer. Imagine my disappointment when the "Artisan Bread" turned out to be the good old No Knead Bread! Especially when the speaker put her dough into a cold Pyrex casserole and assured us that it would not stick. In fact she had to cut it out of the bowl in chunks. The good news in all of this is that the room was packed and people got really excited at the thought of making bread themselves. I know that reading about and trying the No Knead method is what got me into this obsession and I can only hope that many of the people there will also become addicted, A.
Share
Comments
What a riot! Were you kicking yourself at abandoning Elizabeth George?
She had to CUT it out of the casserole!!!!!!! I can just see you sitting at the back of the crowd, trying not to laugh. You should have pushed her aside and taken over the show.
Please forgive me for being mean.
Susan in San Diego
I questioned her (very tactfully) about using the cold casserole and she commented that a heated pot is difficult to handle and could be dangerous. I just hope people will grease their vessel of choice or check out Eric's videos at Breadtopia - I mentioned him to several people. Also did some PR work for TFL! If I could have escaped discreetly I would have made a run for the Elizabeth George evening. My DIL is her gardener and was going to be there so I will hear all about it. A.
Oh come on Susan, hehehe, methinks Annie hasn't told the half of it, anyway, we've all had flops. Of course, we usually didn't have a crowd -------goodness, t'wasn't a paying event, I hope. Suddenly the kitchens are full of instant experts, who only a few yesterdays ago, condemned me ----and you? --- for baking anything and making a kitchen a prison for females, or some such plan, for I couldn't figure out what they were talking about.
It's a great story all the same, Thanks, Annie. My sympathy to the lady demonstrating. I try to help, limited as I am, a few local acquintances. I hope no one drags me to a crowd to make a show.
There must be plenty of other examples of showing the new modern trend to march back into the kitchen. Hope the smell of baking was in the air. A little of such vapors do wonders.
I get a bit sick thinking about 9 and 10 year old kids who have never smelled bread just coming out of the oven. Or rising. Or toasting in a fry pan. Ah, just a scattering of old memories from an old fossil.
Take us along on the next event, Annie, will you? I must check locally. I must leave my arrogance on the coat rack at home and fill me pockets with manners.
Robert
Yes, I was mean, and I'm sorry. I got carried away!
For more laughs, see High Altitude Bricks from April 18, 2007.
Susan from San Diego
Robert, I wasn't being judgemental, just disappointed, and believe me I was the soul of tact - not even a snicker! I think it will be wonderful if more people take up this wonderful and frustrating craft. Oh, I did tell them about making my bowl scrapers out of cat litter plastic containers. By the way, it was a windy and rainy night so the good turnout was surprising, A.
Just having a little joke. I'm sure you would be helpful and so would I. I hope it was free. It seems something was actually baked there. That turnout is a good indicator.
Robert
It's a very funny story - and the speaker deserves a roll of parchment paper for her embarrassment! She very obviously hadn't done her homework.