Picnic Bread - Tear and Share

As much as I love my 'Slow Pot', I also love my 'Bread Maker'.  I do not buy bread, I may buy wraps, bagels and naan breads but I make my own bread, rolls and pizza dough.  My 'Bread maker' is in use most days.  There are three types of 'Picnic Bread' in the basket.  From left to right, 'Pesto and Garlic', 'Olive and Oregano' and 'Sun Dried Tomato and Parmesan'.  You can leave them together as'Tear and Share' bread.  Although I need to master the shape of my 'Tear and Share' as it morphed from a neat circle, very rustic!

It is just a basic dough recipe with additions.  I can think of endless varieties,  I would like to try 'Cheese and Chive', 'Cheese and Onion', and 'Sun dried Tomato and Fresh Basil'.  I have also bought gourmet breads in the past that were tasty including a 'Walnut loaf' and a 'Brazil Nut' Loaf, these were both wholemeal loaves.  I think walnut bread would be delicious with 'Celery and Stilton Soup', 'Sun dried Tomato and Basil' would be delicious with 'Carrot Soup'.  Pesto and Olive breads are delicious with pasta. 'Picnic' breads are an economical addition to any meal.  You can turn a plain old bit of cheese, a simple homemade soup or salad into a tasty meal.  They are great if you are catering for a number of people at summer barbecues, buffets or of course picnics.
Day 7 of 'The Tour De Fleece' back to grey for today but struggling to fit spinning in.

It Spins like an Old Mans Beard, previously the donor of this fleece has been burning it each year!  I am hoping to at least knit a hat with it.

My youngest has his 7th Birthday on Sunday and his best friend is coming for the day tomorrow.  My oldest is 15 on Friday and has a friend stopping tonight.  These birthday preparations are seriously interfering with my spinning time!  I also really wish I had crocheted bunting!  Maybe next year.

Day 6 'The Tour De Peas' 2011

The 'Tour De Peas'...well it makes a change from the 'Tour De Fleece'.  I do love fresh peas.  I don't have many but the ones I do have are very tasty.  I love them raw but am very wary of grubs.  I always inspect my peas and it gives me a shudder to see grubs in the pod!  These were steamed for about a minute and added to a simple pasta salad.  It is important that I sustain myself with 'Carbo loading' as all athletes need to pay attention to their diet.  Day six of the 'Tour De Fleece',  I sneaked in a bit of crochet today!  Before continuing with my 'Rainbow Bobbin'.  I think it is getting fatter.

I must admit my right knee is feeling a bit creaky but nothing too bad.  I am sure the rest day on Monday will help.  It is a good job I am not in 'The Tour de France'!  I am too much of a hypochondriac.

Tour De Fleece Day 5 - And 'The Happy Couple'

I have been wanting to show you this happy couple.  They reappeared last week from the dark depths of the 'Toy Box'.  They are both about 35 years old and were made by my Nana.  They have been very loved by me (and still are).  Then my oldest son loved them and then my youngest has loved them.  It is almost time for me to reclaim them.  I think they deserve a trip to the 'Dolly Hospital' but I am a bit too scared to touch them. They both need a good wash and could do with a re-stuff!  They are called 'Lady' and 'Ted'.  I know, highly original huh?  They have lasted well though and have both been on many adventures.  I am amazed they have survived the years.  My Nana knitted all of her grandchildren toys and I think we all had a 'Ted'.  I also used to get lots of pretty 'Sindy doll' clothes and baby doll clothes.  The boys had football kits and cricket jumpers for their Action Men.  I think handmade toys are the best as the love gets stitched in. 

I am still going with the old 'Tour de Fleece'.  I did over and hour yesterday of 'Rainbow' and when all is calm again tonight will spin a bit more.   I am very tempted to ply 'Rainbow' with the grey.  I will have to do a sample of a couple of meters and make my mind up.    

Day 4 'Tour De Fleece' 5 July 2011

 My Ashford Standard Niddy Noddy is 15" (380mm) long to make a 60" (1524mm) skein. 60 winds is 100 
yards.
Yeah it turned up!  Well my Mom must have found it while she tidied my house when I was at work!  I know I am very spoiled!

I got 110 winds round.  I only work in Metric so will need to go and do some maths.  I am happy to work in approximates so over 150 metres of yarn.

It made a nice 70g skein.  That I will have to wash and set the twist.  I also have another slightly larger skein.  I have not decided what to make yet so these skeins will join my stash.  It is good to be reunited with my Niddy Noddy though.  (I like typing it as much as I like saying it!)  For Day 4 of 'The Tour Fleece' I    will carry on with the 'Rainbow' spinning when all is calm.

Last night I felt very smug picking peas, broad beans and parsley from the garden.  I made a delicious looking rice salad for my lunch at work with a splash of lemon juice, some seasoning and olive oil.  I also added chopped gammon.  I was really looking forward to it at lunchtime.  Guess what?  I forgot to take it!  It has been one of those days, I hope I remember to take it tomorrow.

Day 3 The 'Tour De Fleece 2011' (4th July)

I went with the Scrap Swap fibre and had a multicoloured hour after work.  These colours are quite addictive.  Plying will really change the look of the yarn.  I could make 'Joseph's Techniclour Dream Shawl'.  It has been quite tricky to squeeze a spin in this evening.  Thanks to my slowpot I came home to Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry all ready cooked.  I may get some more done later when my son has had his bath and is tucked up in bed.  I think this is going to be a bigger challenge than I anticipated, to spin everyday.  I will give it a go though even if I only manage 10 minutes, it will be better than a kick up the bum!

Day 2 'Tour De Fleece' 2011

Today I completed the plying of the Ula Batts and Tussah silk, from Yummy Yarns UK.  It is very soft yarn with a touch of luxury.  I need to skein it but for now my Niddy Noddy has gone on walkabouts.  It will turn up.  I plan on spinning some more Grey tomorrow after work when the little one is in bed and then I am trying to formulate a plan for these:

These are fibres I received in a Scrap Swap Parcel.  They are a complete explosion of colours.  They have actually been very useful for colour theory workshops.  I may just go for the random spin and ply as my confidence to devise a colour palette is not up to what it should be.  I also intend to teach myself how to Navajo ply at some point in the 'Tour De Fleece'.  (That is a method of plying singles as opposed to two yarns plied together.)  For now just any spinning over the next three work days will be an achievement.  I save the adventurous stuff for my days off!