Friday, September 1, 2023

Meaderings

 I came back to this blog today to post my mother's recipe for sourdough English muffins, which was a staple item for our family back when we lived on the Girl Scout camp at Belmont, near TC Steele State Memorial. My mind this morning is crowded with thoughts of a lifetime. It pingpongs back and forth. 

I journal a lot, not every day, but through the last 30 years or so. It will take hours, days, weeks, maybe even years, for someone to read through them, if they care to. And the trip through my mind is not always a pleasant one. 

But there are some bits and pieces that might be useful or meaningful?

It's asking too much for anyone to go through my journals.

When I was a teenager and counselors asked me what I planned to do with my education, or my life, I always answered: "I want to be a writer." What did I mean by that? 

Then I read somewhere that you could only write about what you knew, what you experienced.

And throughout my life I have always felt like no matter what I attempted to say, it had been said before, and better. My experiences were never interesting enough, or relevant enough to write about. 

But now I believe that writing is much like cooking. Each time you take the basic ingredients and process them through time and motion, spice them up with a unique selection of flavors, and subject them to the energies of the day (sign of the moon, temperature, humidity, level of human activity in the surroundings) the end product will be unique, sometimes mediocre, occasionally memorable.

The basic ingredients in my life: family, food, music, nature, textiles

The basic processes in my life: sorting, weaving, cooking, counting, analyzing

Helen Penny's Sourdough English Muffins

 Helen Penny's Sourdough English Muffins


1/2 C starter

2 3/4 C Flour

1 C Milk

1 T Sugar

3/4 t salt

1/2 t soda

3 T cornmeal

Mix starter, milk, and 2 C flour in large mixing bowl; cover and set at room temperture overnight. In the morning blend 1/2 C flour, sugar, salt, & soda; sprinkle over dough and mix thoroughly. Turn dough onto board with remaining flour. Knead 3-5 minutes until dough is no longer sticky. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Use a 3 inch cutter. Place muffins 1 inch apart oncookie sheet sprinkled with corn meal - sprinkle moe cornmeal on top. Cover and let rise 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Bake on lightly greased electric skillet at 275 degrees or in frying pan over medium heat for 8-10 minutes per side, turning once.

It is easy to pre-split these muffins with a fork. 


SOURDOUGH STARTER

Boil and mash 1 medium size potato. Add enough warm water to make 2 cups. Sprinkle 1 envelope (1T) yeast and 1 T sugar. Cover and leave at room temperature for 3 days. Store in refrigerator.

SOURDOUGH BISCUITS

1/2 C starter

1 C milk

2 1/2 C flour

1 T sugar

3/4 t sale

1 t baking powder

1/2 t soda

bacon fat or salad oil.

Mix starter, milke, and 1 C flour in large bowl; cover and let stand over night. Turn dough into 1 C flour on a bread board. Combine sugar, sale, baking powder and soda with remaining 1/2 c flour and sift over the top. Mix and knead lightly. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut biscuits and dip each in warm brown fat or a mixture of oil and margerine. Place close together in a 9 inch square pan and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 30 to 35 minutes.


Starter - Use once a week or replenish. Starter + 1 C milk and 1 C flour, mix and let set at room temperature until bubbling. Set in regrigerator.