Deaths from Covid-19 exceeded 1 million people on Tuesday, according to a Johns Hopkins University database, the known toll of nine relentless months of a pandemic that has changed everything, from global balances of power to the mundane aspects of daily life.
Month: September 2020
Corporate communication
We received this by email a few days ago:
With a focus on our environment, we are welcoming sheep to the Vers-chez-les-Blanc campus during October and November. Please feel free to say hello, but be aware of the electric fence and DO NOT feed the sheep.
This was my reply:
Whoever made that decision might regret it. We used to have sheep at my parents’ farm. They look all cute and innocent, but in reality are wooly, stupid assholes that are the malicious embodiment of Murphy’s law.
It was surprisingly well received :)
[recipe] Belgian waffles
500 g of flour
200 g of semi-salted butter
50 g of brown sugar
200 ml of milk
2 eggs
1 pack of instant yeast
150 grams of granulated sugar
2 hours before preparing the dough, bring the butter to room temperature to soften it.
Warm the milk in a microwave to 40C and put it in the bowl of the food processor. Mix in the yeast.
Add the flour, brown sugar and eggs. Knead for 5 minutes at the slowest speed.
Add the butter in pieces and knead at a still slow speed for 10 minutes.
Gather the dough into a ball in the center of the bowl and cover it. Let rise at room temperature for 1h30.
After this time, add the sugar grains and mix in the dough by incorporating them with a spatula.
Take portions of 100 grams and place them on baking paper.
Reserve at room temperature for 20 minutes, or several hours (5 to 6 hours) in a cool room (or refrigerator), before cooking.
Heat the waffle iron at a medium thermostat, 5/6 (no need to grease it if the plates are non-stick). Place the dough ball on the baking sheet, cook for 3 minutes.
[recipe] sheet-pan pancakes
120g unsalted butter
500ml buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250g all-purpose flour
50g granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
Powdered sugar or maple syrup, for serving
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400F/200C. Line a rimmed baking sheet (about 13×18 inches) with parchment paper.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a small microwave-safe bowl. Coat the parchment paper and sides of the baking sheet with about 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
Place buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter in a large bowl and whisk until combined. Add all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Fold with a spatula or wooden spoon until the batter is smooth (some small lumps are okay).
Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and smooth into an even layer. Bake until the pancake is lightly golden, cracked, and springs back when touched, 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove the pancake from the oven and heat the broiler to high. Brush the remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter onto the pancake. Broil until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Cut into 12 pieces and serve warm with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
[recipe] Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake
Dough
345g all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
50g granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 standard packet of yeast
180ml whole milk
60g unsalted butter
1 large egg, at room temperature
Filling
60g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
50g light or dark brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Vanilla Icing
120g confectioners’ sugar
30ml milk or heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Make the dough: Heat the butter and milk together. Next, stir or beat the milk mixture into the dry ingredients, then add the egg. After mixing, your dough is ready to knead.
Knead the dough: You can use your mixer or hands to knead the dough. When you’re finished kneading, cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes. It won’t really rise during this time, but this allows the gluten to relax, which makes shaping much easier.
Fill & shape the cinnamon roll cake: Roll the dough out into a 15×12 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the dough into 6 horizontal strips. (Each are 15 inches long.) Roll up 1 strip and place in a 9″ round greased pan. Coil the remaining 5 strips around the center roll, starting each strip at the end of the previous one to make one large cinnamon roll. Some of the filling may spill out as you pick up the strips, so just sprinkle it on top of the cake when you’re done shaping it.
Rise: Let the shaped cake rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
Bake: After the cake’s dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. If you notice the top or edges browning too quickly, tent the cake with aluminum foil. While the giant cinnamon roll cake is baking, some spots may rise up more than other spots. Simply remove the pan from the oven and, with the back of a spatula, press down the spots that are rising taller than others to help keep them even. Return to baking. Remove the finished cinnamon roll cake from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Drizzle with vanilla icing: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Drizzle all over the warm cake.
[recipe] Frito pie
Chili
3 tbsp oil
675g boneless pork shoulder cut into rough 2-inch cubes
1kg beef chuck cut into rough 2-inch cubes
salt
2 onions, roughly diced
1 jalapeno, small dice (more if you like more heat)
zest of 2 limes
125ml lime juice (about 3 large limes)
250ml orange juice
800g crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
2 large bags of fritos
1 cup pickled onions
1/2 cup pickled jalapenos
1 cup crumbled feta
1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
2 limes, cut in wedges
Other toppings: grated sharp cheddar, scallions, diced onion, sour cream, avocado
Salt the meat generously. Add the oil to a large dutch oven set over high heat. Brown the meat. It’s best to do this in batches so all sides of the meat get a good deep char.
Add the onion, jalapeno and cook until just soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the , lime juice, orange juice, tomatoes, oregano, cumin and chili powder.
Bring the entire pot to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Set the lid on the pot so it’s partially covered and simmer until the meat falls apart when gently pressed, about 3 hours.
If the chili gets too thick in the process add a bit of water to thin it out then continue to simmer.The chili can be made up the three days in advance. Reheat with a bit of water to thin.
Assemble by pouring out the fritos into a serving dish and top with chili, pickled onions and jalapeños, cheese, coriander, and limes. Serve right away.
Knife forging, part 1
Spent the morning forging the rough shape, finished up after lunch, then did the 1st grinding and getting it ready for the quench and thermocycling. After the heat treatment and relaxing, we started on the profiling grinds, and then it was time to leave.
Part 2 will be in a couple of weeks, when we finish the grinds, then polish, sharpen and paracord wrap.
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Am I a runner now?
So from barely running 3 laps on the track in July, I’m now regularly a 5k (so at minimum 10 laps, plus the walk from the flat to the track as warm up/cool down). Last monday, I did 6.5k. My goal is to work up to the Lausanne 10k next year.
On the plus side, my pace has also slightly increased. I generally do 6′ per km, compared to 6.5′ just a little while ago.
Test drive
Hands…Face…Space
It’s been a long pandemic…