Journal Entries
Fobile mones
Posted May 23, 2015
I don't know why, but that's a particularly pleasing Spoonerism.
Another one is fortitude and luck, but for different reasons 
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Latest reply: May 23, 2015
Oh bother, part deux
Posted May 22, 2015
Bear Republic Brewing is pulling out of Texas, apparently because of the drought in California (don't ask me, I don't work there). No more Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout for Gosho.
KHAAAAAAAN!!!!
It's my favourite beer in the entire world. My life is over 
Discuss this Journal entry [3]
Latest reply: May 22, 2015
Oh bother
Posted May 22, 2015
I got a company email address yesterday. Naturally, that means another bloody password to invent and then deal with. Seeing as how this is one I'll be logging into every day I decided that instead of the random sequence of numbers, letters and symbols I usually come up with and then store in a very secret place (no, not there - get your mind out of the gutter 
) so that I can type it in when needed, I'd go with something work-related, and not easy to fathom but easy for me to remember.
So easy, I've already forgotten it 
Discuss this Journal entry [9]
Latest reply: May 22, 2015
Wherever it was I said
Posted May 17, 2015
That I never make New Year resolutions but this year I made one to have whisk(e)y in the house at all times...
So far so good, despite me drinking honourable quantities 
Discuss this Journal entry [51]
Latest reply: May 17, 2015
Almighty Bob giveth and Almighty Bob taketh away
Posted May 16, 2015
First the taketh away.
For the first time in more than 30 years I seem to have a job with something approaching normal hours. While the actual hours aren't exactly nine to five (mostly eight to four, with the occasional eight to six or eight to eight), it's fallen into a Monday to Friday pattern with Saturday and Sunday off.
I don't care for it. I like having days off during the week and working weekends. I'd much rather go to the supermarket on a Wednesday morning rather than Saturday or Sunday. It's too normal. I'm not normal. As well as that, most of my friends don't have a Monday to Friday schedule so meeting up with them and going out for a drink in the middle of the week is going to be a lot harder because getting at 8am means getting up at 5.45am 
And the giveth.
A week or two back I mentioned that I'd reduced three bottles of cider down to a syrup just for the hell of it and had no idea what to do with it, then by chance found a recipe that includes a reduction of cider.
It's happened again 
This morning I was clearing out the stuff on the shelves in the fridge door. I found a few things I'd completely forgotten about, including half a jar of ginger syrup, left over from when I made preserved ginger, and half a jar of lemon syrup left over from... who knows. I know I'm not going to throw out the ginger syrup, just because it's too 
, but I was on the brink of tossing the lemon syrup because I had no idea what I might use it for, but then my strong hoarding instinct made me put it back. And it's just as well I did, because while looking for a recipe for something else just now, I came across this http://mariadernikos.com/2015/04/07/ravani%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%B2%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AF/
I'm not sure that link's going to work because the person whose blog it is has decided to include Greek characters in the url 
Just in case it doesn't, here's the gist:
"What better recipe to show this than Ravani – the lightest of sponge cake, laced with a light sweet syrup with a hint of lemon. The coconut works so well with this recipe as it adds a wonderful texture to the sponge and goes beautifully with the lightly flavoured citrus syrup."
Lightly flavoured citrus syrup is exactly what I was about to consign to the plughole not more than an hour ago. Result
Ravani/?aßa??
Ingredients
6 eggs separated (large)
140g caster sugar
50g desiccated coconut
70g plain flour
140g fine semolina
For the syrup
300g caster sugar
300 g water
1 unwaxed lemon cut in half.
Decoration
1 tbs desiccated coconut
Method
Turn the oven to 170C/325F/Gas Mark 3
Grease and flour a 22 cm cake tin.
Beat the egg yolks with 100gms (not all) of the caster sugar until thick, creamy and very pale. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining 40g of caster sugar until stiff.
In a bowl mix together the flour, semolina and desiccated coconut.
Add one third of the egg whites to the egg yolks and fold in gently. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the egg mixture and combine. Fold in the rest of the egg whites.
Turn mixture into a 22cm cake tin.
Place in the oven and leave for 20-25 minutes. Test with a knife after 20 minutes to see if it is cooked (knife will come out clean if cooked). If not, leave for a further 5 mins and test again.
When cooked remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
To make the syrup.
Add to a saucepan 300ml water and 300g caster sugar. Add the whole lemon, cut in two. Bring to a boil. The syrup should then be allowed to boil for exactly 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
The cake should be cool when the hot syrup is added. Pour over the cake which is still in its tin. Cover with cling film well, and turn the tin upside allowing the syrup to distribute. After a few minutes flip the tin over – this helps to stop the syrup from collecting at the sides and bottom of the tin. This can be repeated a couple of times until the syrup has cooled. Unwrap and sprinkle a tablespoon of desiccated coconut over the top.
So that's what I'm going to be making today
Discuss this Journal entry [13]
Latest reply: May 16, 2015
There is only one thing worse than being Gosho, and that is not being Gosho
Researcher U147203
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