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Hello everyone!
Hope you are all
keeping well and that 2005 is going well so far! Welcome to all the new
subscribers. A popular section on my site at the moment seems to be the
SA Food page, it's where I try and list as many businesses as I can
trace that sell South African food and goods in other countries. Just
lately I have been getting a lot of feedback giving me new businesses to
add. If you live abroad and know of a store in your vicinity that sells SA
Food and Goods, please
email me the details and I will list it on my page. This page is fast
becoming THE place to look for SA Food overseas!
My project for this
year is an eBook on Boererate (South African Home remedies). While doing
research on Boererate and looking for books on the subject I came across
the ABE Books website. I am now going to share a very handy bit of
information with you. If you are ever looking for an old book or a book
that is not in print any more, this is the place to go. ABE books is
linked to bookstores worldwide. They have a great search facility, just
type in the name of the author or the title of the book and if it is
available anywhere in the world it will show up in the search results. I
managed to find the Mrs Dijkmans Recipe book, the first recipe book in
Afrikaans on the site, also an old book on Boererate. The Boererate book
was in a bookstore in the Netherlands! I also bought a book by P J
Schoeman that is long since out of print. Scroll down to my Featured site
and go look around. You might just find that book you gave been looking
for!
I am sure that most
of us enjoy bread nearly every day of our lives! I went to look for some
history and found the following on a site with
Info on Bread. I guess the recipe theme for this Newsletter will also
be bread, what else?
Wheat has been
cultivated by man since before recorded history. It is conjectured by
anthropologists that hungry hunter/gatherers first stockpiled the grain as
a storable food source. When it got wet, it sprouted, and people found
that if the grain was planted it yielded yet more seeds.
Grown in Mesopotamia and Egypt, wheat was likely first merely chewed.
Later it was discovered that it could be pulverized and made into a paste.
Set over a fire, the paste hardened into a flat bread that kept for
several days. It did not take much of a leap to discover leavened (raised)
bread when yeast was accidentally introduced to the paste.
Instead of waiting for fortuitous circumstances to leaven their bread
people found that they could save a piece of dough from a batch of bread
to put into the next day's dough. This was the origin of sour-dough, a
process still used today.
In Egypt, around 1000 BC, inquiring minds isolated yeast and were able to
introduce the culture directly to their breads. Also a new strain of wheat
was developed that allowed for refined white bread. This was the first
truly modern bread. Up to thirty varieties of bread may have been popular
in ancient Egypt.
It was also during this time that bread beer was developed. The bread was
soaked in water and sweetened and the foamy liquor run off. Beer was as
popular in ancient Egypt as it is in America today.
The Greeks picked up the technology for making bread from the Egyptians;
from Greece the practice spread over Europe. Bread and wheat were
especially important in Rome where it was thought more vital than meat.
Soldiers felt slighted if they were not given their allotment. The Roman
welfare state was based on the distribution of grain to people living in
Rome. Later the government even baked the bread.
Through much of history, a person's social station could be discerned by
the color of bread they consumed. The darker the bread, the lower the
social station. This was because whiter flours were more expensive and
harder for millers to adulterate with other products. Today, we have seen
a reversal of this trend when darker breads are more expensive and highly
prized for their taste as well as their nutritional value.
In the middle ages bread was commonly baked in the ovens of the lord of
the manor for a price. It was one of the few foods that sustained the poor
through the dark age.
Bread continued to be important through history as bread riots during the
French Revolution attest. The famous quotation attributed to Marie
Antoinette that if the poor could not get bread for their table then "let
them eat cake," became a famous illustration of how royalty had become
ignorant of the plight of the lower classes. Actually, Marie Antoinette
never said this and was merely being slandered by her detractors.
Still thought of as the "staff of life", for centuries bread has been used
in religious ceremonies. Even the lord's prayer requests of God to "Give
us this day our daily bread" - meaning not merely loaves, but moral
sustenance.
Today, even with the competition of a growing variety of foods, bread
remains important to our diet and our psyche. It has a prominent place in
at the local market, in our cupboards and even in our language. The word
"bread" is commonly used as a slang term for money. It connotes importance
as when we say that some aspect of our work is "our bread and butter". In
many households bread is still served with every meal.
Bread has a long history for a reason. It is a healthy and nutritious food
that fills the stomach as well as the soul.
Whether you do it by hand or a machine try some of the recipes at this
site and discover the magic that is in the very taste and smell of fresh
baked bread!
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Search my website,
type in any key word and if that word is on my site you will see it in
the results, search for recipes, ingredients, place names etc |
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Do you buy Lotto
tickets occasionally? Here is an alternative for you, the UK Lotto.
You can buy tickets online and the payouts are to dream about! How
does
£15 million grab you? To purchase a ticket or tickets is safe
and easy, just
click here and go for
it. Get a syndicate together at work and buy a few tickets, after all,
R150 million can be shared many ways!
And if you win, remember where you got the tip! |
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Unexpected expenses? Get your Barclaycard online! |
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The
following was sent to me by Tint, in Brazil. Makes sense somehow!
36
WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS
"Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow
and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen,
you have worried twice."
1. Meditate
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will
compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time;
don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out
what would be best to do and let go of the anxiety.. If you can't do
anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary
purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key
buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an
enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry something inspirational with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of
life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Make friends with upbuilding people.
24. Keep a folder of favorite quotes and inspirations on hand.
25. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a
good "Thank you!"
26. Laugh.
27. Laugh some more!
28. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
29. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they
can).
30. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most..
31. Sit on your ego..
32. Talk less; listen more.
33. Slow down.
34. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe
35. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that
you've never been grateful for before.
36. Smile at the face you see in the mirror, then smile at the world!
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Reduce your
monthly short term insurance premium,
click here
for a
free online quotation! And while you are busy,
click here and apply online for your Barclaycard or Manchester
United card! |
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The
Herb Section - Chives |
Chives belong
to the same family as onions and garlic. You get an onion chive
and a garlic chive.
Chives are perennials and like rich soil and sun, but can
withstand partial shade.
Seeds are sown anytime from August - April. Plant 20cm apart when
big enough to handle, and clumps will form lasting 4 to 5 years.
The flowering heads can be picked in summer and added to salads,
while the more mature flowers make a delicious vinegar. Chives can
be dried, but are more delicious when eaten fresh.
Chives attract bees to your garden
MEDICINAL USES
Chives have a blood cleansing, tonic effect and improve the
appetite.
Chives ward off colds and flu.
CULINARY USES
Chives can be used to flavour any savoury dish. Add chopped chives
to dishes such as stews and soups in the last 5 minutes of
cooking.
Chives are delicious with egg and cheese dishes.
Use chive flowers in salads or to make vinegar |
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Thanks to everyone who has mailed us fridge magnets depicting your
State, City or Country.
If you collect fridge magnets, I will gladly swop with you!
Please
email me and we can make arrangements. Thanx a lot! |
My website is
interactive, there are a few pages you can contribute to:
Cocktails - I am now also
collecting typically South African
Cocktails, if you have any to contribute, please email me.
Elephant Stew -
add your suggestion
Wacky
Sarmies - add your fav sarmie (some great
sarmie ideas here!)
Animal Facts - Some interesting stuff
here Write
a caption - new pic added
Discussion Forum -
Add to a current discussion or start a new thread.
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Why not post a message on the
Discussion Forum. The topic can be food, wildlife, travel or
photography related, or anything else of interest. Let's see if we can
get some interesting discussions going |
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SPICY FRUIT LOAF
500ml Cake Flour
10ml Baking Powder
5ml Bicarbonate of Soda
3ml Cinnamon
3ml Ground Ginger
3ml Mixed Spice
3ml Nutmeg
125ml Nutty Wheat Flour
200ml Caramel Brown Sugar
250ml Sour Milk
1 X-large Egg
60ml Oil
60ml Sultanas or Raisins
1. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl, add the nutty wheat flour and
brown sugar
2. Beat in sour milk, egg, oil and sultanas and mix well
3. Pour into a greased 23 cm loaf tin and bake at 180°C for 40 - 45
minutes
CHEESE & HERB
POTBROOD
An easy to make batter bread which requires no kneading. It takes about an
hour to prepare and rise, which gives you just enough time to make the
braai fire
3 Cups Lukewarm Water
2tsp Sugar
1kg Whole-wheat or Bread Flour (or a mixture of both)
1/2 Cup Powdered Milk
3 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Dry Yeast
3 Tbsp Cooking Oil
2 tsp Mixed Herbs
1 Clove Garlic, Chopped
4 Tbsp Chopped Chives or Parsley
1 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp Paprika
1. Dissolve the sugar in 1 cup of luke warm water, then sprinkle the yeast
on top and set aside for 15 minutes to react
2. Place flour, powdered milk and salt in a bowl, add oil, herbs, garlic,
chives and cheese, keeping 1/2 cup of cheese for the topping
3. Mix well and stir in yeast mixture, adding remaining water to make a
sloppy dough, adding extra water if necessary
4. Spoon mixture into a well greased, flat bottomed pot, remembering to
grease the lid of the pot
5. Cover with the lid and stand in a warm place for 45 minutes, for the
dough to double in size
6. Sprinkle the paprika and remaining cheese on top of the dough and cover
with the lid
7. When the coals have burned down completely, make a hollow in the middle
and stand the pot in the centre
8. To brown the top, place a few coals on the lid
9. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the bread makes a hollow sound when
tapped
CARROT & PECAN
NUT LOAF
500ml Cake Flour
5ml Baking Powder
3ml Bicarbonate of Soda
3ml Ground Cinnamon
2ml Salt
125g Butter or Margarine
125ml Caramel Brown Sugar
125ml White Sugar
2 X-large Eggs
45ml Fresh Orange Juice
5ml Finely Grated Orange Rind
375ml Finely Grated Carrots
125ml Chopped Pecan Nuts
125ml Sultanas
CREAM CHEESE ICING
125ml Cream Cottage Cheese
15ml Lemon Juice
3ml Finely Grated Lemon Rind
625ml Icing Sugar
60ml Chopped Pecan Nuts
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together
2. Cream the butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, beating well
after each addition
3. Add orange juice and rind, then dry ingredients, mixing well
4. Stir in the carrots, nuts and sultanas
5. Pour into a well greased 22cm loaf tin and bake at 180°C for 1 hour.
Allow to cool
6. Mix the cottage cheese, lemon juice and rind together
7. Sift in the icing sugar and beat until just smooth and fluffy
8. Spread the icing over the cooled loaf, and sprinkle with pecan nuts
PUMPKIN BREAD
2 Extra Large Eggs
310ml Light Brown Sugar
125ml Cooking Oil
500ml Cold, Mashed Pumpkin
125ml Snowflake Nutty Wheat (75g)
375ml Snowflake Cake Flour (210g)
5ml Bicarbonate of Soda
10ml Baking Powder
2ml Salt
5ml Ground Cinnamon
1ml Nutmeg
1ml Cloves
125ml Pitted Raisins or Cake Mix
1. Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy
2. Add the oil, and beat
3. Sift together the dry ingredients, and add to the egg mixture, together
with the bran left in the sieve
4. Mix thoroughly, but do not over-mix
5. Stir in raisins and pumpkin
6. Spoon the mixture into a greased loaf pan
7. Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes. then reduce heat to 160°C and bake for a
further 20 minutes until cooked
8. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
9. Serve with butter if preferred
CHEESE & CHIVE
BREADS
250g Self-raising Flour
Salt & Pepper
40g Butter
125g Cheddar Cheese
Small Bunch Fresh Chives
1 Egg
150ml Milk
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1. Put the flour, salt & pepper into a mixing bowl
2. Cut the butter into pieces and add, rubbing the mixture through your
fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs
3. Grate the cheese, and add to the flour with about 4 tablespoons of
chopped chives
4. Beat the egg and add to the mixture keeping about 2 teaspoons of egg to
brush the top
5. Add the mustard, and slowly add the milk to make a soft dough, but not
sticky
6. Sprinkle your work surface with a little flour, and tip your dough onto
it
7. Knead the dough until smooth, then pat into a circle about 18cm, or a
little bigger than your hand across
8. Cut into six segments and put them slightly spaced apart on a greased
baking sheet
9. Brush the tops of the rolls with the rest of the egg
10. Bake in the centre of the oven at 200°C for 15 minutes until well
risen and golden
11. Serve warm or cold, split and buttered on their own, or with bowls of
soup |
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