Our weekend began with hotdogs and small children.
On Thursday, I received a bulk order of magnificent pasture raised Ajani Pork from Country Meats Direct. This is the first time I’ve bought from Ajani, though I’ve since had a wonderful sms conversation with owner Rose. It’s a joy to find folks who are deeply committed to the welfare of their stock…
We decided to try the sausages on Friday night. I whipped up a batch of poorly but enthusiastically shaped faux brioche rolls…
We were joined by Will, young Tom and Not-A-Baby-Anymore Grace. Everyone cheerfully scoffed sausages in rolls smothered with tomato sauce (which, I’m told, counts as a vegetable).
Will was delighted – our Cornish friend has missed his English-style pork bangers…
Before going to bed that night, I mixed up a four kilo batch of sourdough in my large plastic tub. For those who are interested, the formula was 600g active starter (166% hydration), 500g remilled semolina flour, 1500g bakers flour, 1350g water, 36g fine sea salt…
The dough was folded twice before I went to bed, and once more when I got up to pee at 2.45am. That’s not an integral part of the process, by the way.
This is what it looked like at 6am on Saturday morning…
I baked the dough into four loaves and gave away three of them…weekend bread is made for sharing…
By 9.30am, I was at Eveleigh Markets and overjoyed to have scored a parking spot right outside the front door!
I came home with an assortment of treasures, including a magnificent pasture raised Burrawong Gaian chook, watercress and olives from the Darling Mills stand, and a mixed bag from the lovely lads at Margin Mushrooms…
At lunch time, our friends Kevin and Carol popped by to pick up a loaf of sourdough. They hadn’t eaten, so we all sat down to leftover japchae noodles. Spending time with old friends is a weekend bonus!
That night, Pete turned the chicken, mushrooms and a few of the olives into this sublime, non-traditional coq au vin. A third of a bottle of Ashton Hills 2000 pinot went in (winemaker Stephen George is a genius – what other Aussie pinot is even drinkable let alone sensational at sixteen years old?)…
On Saturday evening, I made another four kilo batch of sourdough. All mixed by hand. Scrunching everything together in the large tub is incredibly therapeutic…
The dough which greeted me this morning (Sunday) was even bouncier than the previous one…
I shaped up and baked four more loaves, experimenting with decorative slashing along the way. The two long loaves went to neighbours…
I met my beloved mum for coffee after lunch and passed one of the round loaves to her. She’s not a fan of sourdough and I’m working hard to convert her! I took this video to show her why Pete is convinced that our bread is better than the supermarket varieties.
If you squish a slice of white sandwich bread, it compresses to paper thin. Whereas our sourdough will bounce back…(the jungle drums in the background are coming from the dishwasher)…
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I was sitting in the kitchen today, marveling at the fact that after nine years, I’m still experimenting with sourdough and enjoying it so much. Linda wrote a bit about this today, and I couldn’t agree with her more – baking bread has never felt like a chore to me. Even when life is hectic, there always seems to be time for sourdough. In fact, at those times, the bread making seems more important than ever, because it brings a sense of rhythm and routine – a panacea for the angst that comes with crazy busy-ness…
. . . . .
I hope you’ve all had as much fun this weekend as we have!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Magnificent meat photograph
Oh I wish I could make sourdough, I envy you so much
You are so generous — giving so many loaves to your friends and family!
best… mae
I love your description of your hot dog rolls – they look amazing and yet you insist on saying they are poorly shaped! You know sausage in a roll with ketchup and a glass of white is probably my idea of heaven :) It’s been lovely following your weekend – your joy and enthusiasm makes me smile :)
Sure does sound like a lovely weekend.
Getting a parking spot by the door is a great blessing! It’s hard getting a spot so close at the markets.☺ The meat order looks wonderful. Sounds like you had a marvelous weekend! Your bread looks delicious. 👍
Your breads looks amazing! :)
You were not kidding, your weekend was really glorious!
it’s been a quiet one for me, apart from a nice run yesterday morning, I’m relaxing and cooking a few things here and there… no bread baking this weekend for me, I refreshed my starter and put it back in the fridge – next weekend I’ll bake something for sure!
Boom! What a weekend, Celia! I agree, homemade bread, not least sourdough, is a delight. And to share the bounty brings much happiness to others and ourselves. Here’s to a beautiful slower week to us all.
It sounds like a perfect weekend. I completely agree with you about the bread making and baking. It becomes a part of your daily routine and when I don’t make/bake it feels like something is missing! That market looks wonderful.
I am loving your slash with panache experiments. We’ve been under the weather for the last couple of weeks but I’m feeling better and will get back to bread baking tomorrow. Hugs, Maz. <3
“That’s not an integral part of the process, by the way.” Perhaps not but it’s an integral part of a night’s sleep for me these days. :/
Oh that’s tedious for you, hon! My interrupted nights are still sporadic and alcohol related. :)
Oh it’s just between 2 and 3am, alcohol has a relationship but, sadly, is not the sole determinant. Were it that simple.
A lovely weekend indeed. I am craving one of those sausages as I’m on quite a strict low fat diet at the moment so they are calling, calling to me.
A very selfish ‘thank you’ Celia for raising my popularity amongst friends. Since quite a few live close to Sydney’s ‘inner West’ you have no idea that a rural gal does get asked for all these names and addresses :) ! Am doing homework on ‘Country Meats Direct’ at the moment . . As for all the rest: yum and double-yum!!!!
Your dough bubble is insane!
Yes, I feel the same about bread making. Just one question- I worry about leaving the dough to do an overnight rise ‘out of the fridge’ as it often seems to over prove. what time to you go to bed Celia?
I made the dough at 8pm and got up to finish it at 6am. It does prove a huge amount but Priscilla always seems to bounce back! Not all starters can do that.
I wish my starter was as enthusiastic as Priscilla but in vain I fear. Still, it makes good bread even if it’s sometimes a little dense! I agree that breadmaking is never boring, and I find it very relaxing. I’m not as generous with my loaves as you – lucky neighbours 😃
What a joyous weekend you had Celia, beautiful friends, family and food.
We finally had a lovely weekend too, weather-wise, temperatures have been on the rise and today it was 23° C! It was so lovely, we had lunch in the back yard.
Your bread looks wonderful, what fortunate neighbours and friends to be the benefactors of your generosity and bread making skills.
I want to come over for a visit and learn your asking secrets. I have your basic sweet dough rise ing as I type. I’m making loaves and sausage roll and can’t wait to try them. Looks like a lovely weekend at your house. Wish we had the markets you shop at just big name stores here. Have tried sour dough but can’t seem to get it as nice as yours. Would love to get an active sour dough like your bubbly girl like Priscilla. Loving your art on the loves!
Hi Lury, I’ve sent you another email!
I imagine that folding at your 2 am pee break settled you right back to sleep. Very relaxing. What a lovely weekend. Fabulous bread as usual.
I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend home alone. Maybe I’ll be a fraction as productive as you!
That bread. YUM!
I loved tagging along virtually on your weekend Celia. I agree that bread making is therapeutic – not that my loaves ever look anything like your beauties.
Mmmmm, sausages.