We’ve become quite enthusiastic about the back-to-nature thing (all clothes firmly on, we aren’t that degenerate…) and LT’s favourite new toy is the log splitter.  Just as well he enjoys using it, because we’re going through a good deal of wood with our new stove.  Two winters ago, I did keep the house very warm as I was having a lot of visitors and I wanted to keep my spirits up besides, but last winter, the first when LT was visiting regularly, time didn’t seem to allow the running back and forth to keep the old, inefficient stove going.  As well as that, we’ve been making jam, curing bacon, making cheese and yoghurt and, today, I made a batch of crumpets – I’ll have to get back to making bread again after Christmas.  Al’s shop has now been turned into a bakery and coffee shop – they don’t bake on the premises, it’s too small for that, but they sell a smallish range of very good bread.  All the same, I do have a yen to bake it myself again.  It’s so soothing.  Like making risotto or macaroni cheese.  Or soup.

Funny that everything comforting seems to be food related.

We were talking about the chemistry of yeast cookery, but are both a bit hazy on details.  Some years ago, I borrowed a book from the library on the subject – as well as recipes, the writer explained the reasons for various things, such as why heating stale bread makes it fresh again.  Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name of the book or the author, which is really very unhelpful.  All I know is that her name is Eastern European – Polish perhaps.  I’d recognise it if I read it.  It’s a very long shot, but does anyone happen to know?