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[personal profile] allana
It's been a busier than usual day today, for some reason.

The lovely Dave, fixed my KitchenAid. For some reason the paddle attachment had become stuck on the machine. I don't know why/how but it took him a hammer, screwdriver, hot towels and a copious application of vegetable oil to free it. Very distressing. I also need to buy a new dough hook for it, as the nylon/enamel coating came off. You definitely don't want bits of that dispersed through your bread. Until I buy a new one, I won't be making focaccia or ciabattia. Still, my poor baby was able to take the leg-work out of making shortbread this afternoon.

I made Almond Shortbread, and spent a happy half hour dipping and drizzling chocolate over the little triangles. They're a bit drier than I'd have liked, but that's my own fault for abandoning them to go out for a drive with Dave. Before all road-users panic, I didn't drive :P I'll photo them tomorrow, probably. They'll hit my blog eventually....

What else? Oh, I finished critiquing a story that a bloke from another forum I visit wrote. The basic concept was okay, some paragraphs were pretty good, and there was one standout sentence that I wished I'd written. So, yeah. He has promise. The only problem is that he doesn't have a clue where to end sentences, has a very hazy understanding of commas, and doesn't know what dialogue punctuation is. You can be sure that I didn't write precisely that when I critiqued it. I've never written such a diplomatic email in my life; I knew I should have applied to the Foreign Office for diplomatic service.... Still, he wants to sell the story, so I took the worst paragraph and punctuated it properly, gave him the link to a sexed up basic punctuation guide, and a slew of links to sites which have advice on writing erotica. Still, there was one correctly used semi-colon. Speaking subjectively, he could have used another 20 of them.

Next time I get enthusiastic about helping someone I don't know at all, remind me that I'll want to kill myself half-way through it?

I also found, whilst searching around the Erotic Readers Association website, that Emma Holly has a website. She's the author of several Black Lace books. I once thought about writing one, but after the stress of my recent foray into het writing, I doubt I'll write any soon. Still, she has a workshop on her site: Steaming up your love scenes. Could be useful; it draws heavily from Lars Eighner's book.

And now it's time for dinner!

Date: 2005-03-18 11:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] glam-ang.livejournal.com
I don't have one yet! I was planning on experimenting with a few. I do have a good recipe for Rosemary Foccacia on my site though....

Date: 2005-03-19 01:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silentinflames.livejournal.com
Ah, thanks. Will try the Foccacia then. :D

Date: 2005-03-19 02:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] screwthedaisies.livejournal.com
Foccacia is too intimidating. (~not a natural bread person~) Thanks to my bread machine, I'm getting the hang of basic white bread. (I don't use the bread machine to bake it, though. Yucky.)

Date: 2005-03-20 12:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silentinflames.livejournal.com
I have never used a bread machine, I don't trust them. And it's a proven fact that they cause a good portion of house fires, too.

Date: 2005-03-20 02:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] screwthedaisies.livejournal.com
Are they causing house fires when you use them to actually bake the bread, or even if you're just using it to prepare the dough?

Date: 2005-03-20 06:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silentinflames.livejournal.com
During the baking if left unattended.

Date: 2005-03-20 07:00 pm (UTC)

Date: 2005-03-20 01:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] glam-ang.livejournal.com
Focaccia is easy, as long as you have a stand-mixer. It's a hellish sticky mess to deal with by hand. Same deal with ciabatta.

Starting bread dough off in a bread-machine is a brilliant compromise betweeen convenience and great tasting bread :) Plus, if you're baking it in the oven then you don't get the odd little hole in the bottom of the loaf.

Date: 2005-03-20 02:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] screwthedaisies.livejournal.com
I hate not only the odd hole but the shape and color of bread baked in the bread machine. Oh, and the taste. Dries it right out.

I don't have a stand mixer, just a bottom-of-the-line electric beater. :D

Date: 2005-03-20 03:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] glam-ang.livejournal.com
I've only ever eaten it once or twice. Dave gave away his breadmachine not long after I moved in. But yes, the shape! Always the same boring shape.

Still, I'm glad you're having fun with bread :D

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