May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful.
Neil Gaiman
Walking along the lane the other day, looking around for a photo opportunity, I was struck by the pale branches of this tree against the deep blue of the sky. It had been frosty in the morning and then the bright sun broke through and we were treated to the unbelievably sharp colours of the countryside around us. Looking out of my gazebo, I am treated to the warmth of the low light at this time of the year, as the sun moves round the garden. The right side of the garden is constantly in shadow until the sun moves higher in the sky in mid February. I love the above quote, as January can feel very flat after the excitement of Christmas. I've already read a couple of fine books lent to me by my neighbour and hopefully my husband thinks I'm wonderful!
This is my water-based Keffir which I make with some grains given to me by a friend. I have read recently that we should be including more fermented foods in our diet and by drinking this and eating my homemade sourdough, I am hoping to improve my gut health. I know some people put the grains into yoghurt but I prefer this method. I bottle a batch every couple of days and keep it in the fridge to drink while setting another brew going. I have experimented with flavourings, such as ginger, lemongrass and turmeric, but actually now prefer the taste without any additions. You can see the bubbles of carbon dioxide produced in the fermentation process, sitting at the top of the liquid, giving the drink a lovely 'fizz'!
Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of all feasts.
James Beard
A slice of freshly baked sourdough forms part of my Sunday morning breakfast. The just warm bread softens the butter and the apricot jam is not overly sweet while being full of chunky fruit, it really is the essence of what I would call a simple pleasure. I eat my bread after a bowl of fruit, yoghurt and homemade granola, a very different meal to our weekday breakfast of porridge. So though I have to get up early to put the bread in the oven, it means that Sunday feels very special.
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