Bread

The first time I got really excited about baking bread was more than 20 years ago. Back in the 80s bread making machine was a rarity. I visited my friend's house one day and saw that they had such a machine. I was totally fascinated, not only by the idea that you can bake bread at home, but also because a freshly baked loaf of bread smells and tastes so much better.

As soon I started work and saved up enough money, I bought my first (and only) very own bread making machine. Back in the 90s bread maker was very expensive, but I enjoyed making my own bread and eating them. The problems with bread maker though, is that the machine is quite fussy. Unless you get everything right, the bread will not turn up right. Even old flour and room temperature variation affect the quality of bread.

Then my bread maker broke, and I was too busy to bake any bread, until we moved over here. With more time at hand, I started baking bread again, and this time, without a bread maker. I find that kneading the dough by hand and baking it in a conventional oven give me far more control over the process, and hence more leeway, and more opportunity to correct any variation.

Still, home baked bread does not taste as smooth and soft as commercially baked bread. The secret - well emulsifier and conditioner.

This is my simple bread recipe, and it tastes just as nice as the one bought in the shop.

Ingredient:
2 cups of high protein/bread flour
1 - 1.5 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of bread improver (optional)
1.5 teaspoon of yeast
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of butter/vegetable shortening/oil
1 cup of water

Mix in dry ingredient, stir in oil and water.
Knead till smooth (about 10 - 20 minutes).
Optional: you can roll in any added ingredient, such as dry fruit, raisin, chocolate chips here.
Place in oiled bowl, cover with gladwrap or wet towel, let rise for an hour.
Punch down, shape and place in oiled baking pan, let rise till it is about twice the original size.
Bake in 150-180 degrees Celsius for 30 - 35 minutes
Cool on wire rake before cutting.

Bon appetit.

Spring

Spring is finally here.

This is the season that I have been waiting for the whole year.

We arrived here in the dark, gloom and doom of August last year. We went through challenging time over the past 12 months. Now, finally, the light at the end of the tunnel.

Just received an email from the College - finally, they will give me the paper - and back to being neurologist again!

But it doesn't get any easier from here. Thank God that the hospital I worked in is asking me back as a consultant. The problem is, almost every consultant here works part time, and they can only offer me part time. Well, at least it's a starter and it will bring home the bacon.

The next step is to look for private job, or setting up my own. That's the challenging part. There's just too much to learn, to much to do, to much to know. I was totally overwhelmed. After much prayer, I guess the best way is to take a step at a time. I will start with a multiple sclerosis clinic in one of the major centres here first. At least that gives me some exposure of private work, or MS work, and a taste of practice management.

The rest, a step at a time.

In the mean time, I have a 2 months break - September and October.

And I am spending it enjoying the flowers in my garden ....