A while back when I posted a recipe for cider bread a reader questioned why you'd bother with such things when you could be eating sourdough instead. It's a fair point, naturally leavened breads are by far my favourite when it comes to both texture and flavour, but there are also two very solid reasons why I like to keep soda bread in my baking repertoire...
Read MoreThe knights who say Knish
Originating in eastern Europe, the knish is a traditional, potato-based snack also common to North America, where it was first popularised by the newly-settled Polish and Jewish communities...
Read MoreSpiced banana cake
The use of whole-grain flours in baking is becoming increasingly popular, and while much of the focus has been in relation to dieting fads and the need for gluten-free alternatives, I enjoy them for the different textures, flavours and levels of complexity that they bring...
Read MoreBread board: Cider bread
After a few intensely sweet weeks it was time to follow-up on some savoury baking options, one of which was this slightly embellished version of a simple and quick beer bread...
Read MoreA delicious biscuit
There are times when life gets a bit frantic, be it big decisions pending or a deadline looming large. The workload lifts to another level and all of a sudden you're left feeling outpaced, over-stretched and as though you're flying by the seat of your pants...
Read MoreBread board: Comfort bread
As the cooler weather settles in and I begin to adjust to the deliriously early hours of a baker's life I've come to appreciate more and more the comforts of having breakfast at home. To potter about aimlessly, somewhat dishevelled and unkempt. To pause idly over the steam swirling up from my cup, idly window gazing as uncounted minutes go by. No place to be, no rush to be had...
Read MorePicau ar y maen
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the delightful Bundarra Berkshires for a spot of pig petting, butchery and charcuterie with the gang from Melbourne Meat Up. It was a great day of learning about farming life, and after a quick tour to meet their chargers we set about dismantling our carcass. The breakdown process was fascinating...
Read MorePita patter
At long last it seems Melbourne's run of hot, hot heat is at an end, and as it dissipates into Autumn so too goes with it the last of the summer veg. A pre-dinner stroll between the beds uncovered some cucumbers, a few tomatoes and plenty of greens that needed using up, and since there were some beautiful backstraps awaiting inside there could be only one thing for it, souvlaki...
Read MoreCoffee and roasted carob
The carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua, is a species of evergreen pea that is cultivated for its ornamental qualities and edible pods. Native to the Mediterranean it grows well in warm temperate and subtropical climates and produces a broad, semi-spherical crown that can reach up to 15 metres in height...
Read MoreBread board: First sour
In developing Keeler & Spon the intent was to create something more useful, to provide a searchable site with recipes and helpful information rather than just a jaunty weblog of kitchen activities. And while this will hold true for the majority of posts, K&S is also designed as a space in which to explore and have some fun as I educate myself in the methods and intricacies of technical baking. The Bread Board, in particular, is my chance to experiment...
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