At last – perfect bread – shame about the husband!

Thank goodness the fireworks are over – the youngest dog spent last night in a state of terror – ears back, panting in corners of the kitchen.  Seems calm now though!  

Pretty much everything frightens her…. she tries to bite lumps out of the hoover  when we use it, gets very distressed if she hears me sharpening a knife, attacks my daughter’s hairdryer (while she is using it) and thinks the lawnmower is  a great big scary monster that needs to be killed.

I have been out for out for lunch a couple of times in the last two weeks.  I love going out for lunch – much better in my opinion than going out for dinner.

Had a day off and took my husband to Number 16, which is on Byres Road (No 16 Byres Road obviously!).  I have been once before (years ago) and remember it being good then too.  The pigs cheek starter was fabulous!  Great value – lunch for two (two courses) plus a couple of glasses of wine was just over £34.

Last week I met a friend for lunch at Coia’s on Duke Street, Dennistoun.  It had to be a quick 45 minute lunch – which is fine because service at Coia’s is quick.  I don’t even bother to look at the menu when I go there – I always have eggs benedict.

Today we are having slow roasted shoulder of pork (a sort of pulled pork) with coleslaw, home made bread, salad and filled potato skins.

I have discovered a bread recipe – eventually – that my children say is the best bread ever.  I have a bread baker and it’s OK but you don’t get the flexibility that you do when you make it from scratch yourself.  This recipe is easy and seems to give consistently good results – I have tried it a few times now to see that it wasn’t a fluke the first time.

1Lb bread flour

1 sachet of dried ready mix yeast

1 teaspoon salt

50 ml olive oil

230 – 250 warm water

Mix together and then knead for 10 minutes (5 minutes if using a dough hook and mixer)

Divide into 8 pieces and roll into long sausage shapes.

Lay on lightly floured baking trays – cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise for 30 minutes

Pre heat oven to 180C

Take the cling film off and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with rock salt (and pepper if you like it as much as I do)

Bake for 20 minutes – take out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets.

The bread sticks are light and delicious.

I made little individual apple crumbles for pudding.  I only had a couple of apples so couldn’t make a big one.  Not everyone likes crumble so little ones are more practical anyway.

At the end of dinner husband (with the palate of a Labrador) asked …“does this lamb keep?   “It’s pork” I told him.  I have heard that you can buy a bowl shaped like a dog bowl with “MAN” written on it.  I am seriously considering this for his Christmas present.