Jeremy Cherfas

This hibiscus has lost all sense of time, as have most of us. Also, there’s something odd about the intensity of hibiscus pigments and lower temperatures. pesos

Our attempt at pumpkin chilli ricotta ravioli from @letitia_ann_clark may not look like much, but they were absolutely scrummy. The sage, butter, Parmesan, pasta water sauce is a knockout. pesos

Ave Fornax!

@tavolamediterranea has decreed that today is the start of Fornacalia, which I am celebrating with a very un-Roman bread. At least, I don’t think the Romans ever baked with rye. And certainly not sunflower seeds.

This is the 100% rye sourdough with a sunflower seed soaker from @raleighstreetbaker reduced to what is, for me, a more manageable quantity. Link to full recipe in bio. pesos

A very interesting analysis, that will probably go nowhere.to date, nobody has rallied a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol using tastefully curated photos of bathroom remodelings.I’m no fan of Pinterest, but this seems accurate.

What an astonishing day it has been. 100% chance of rain tomorrow but right now, I don’t care. Tidying the terrace in shirtsleeves. pesos

Life is good. pesos

I’m always astonished that this will eventually grow into two 1kg loaves of @raleighstreetbaker ‘s fabulous 100% rye with sunflower seeds. One for Sunday and one for the freezer. pesos

These loaves contain enough whole buckwheat flour to give them a terrific extra wallop of flavour. Baked up bold, too. And, while this may be auto-suggestion, I do believe that a slice is better at keeping hunger at bay than my other breads. pesos

Everybody and their dog has suddenly recognised Substack and its ilk, which is not unexpected. But I particularly liked what Robin Sloan had to say in a recent newsletter of his:The rush will come, the rush will go. We’ll still be here.Maybe its because I am older and slower, but I feel this more and more these days. Fads come, fads go, and some things endure. That suits me just fine, even if some of those enduring things are only a couple of decades old.

Baking up a storm here. pesos

Doesn’t take much to transform my mood. pesos

Uh oh pesos

More formality would probably be a good thing, and 10 weeks is not that great a commitment. I should give this a try.

No sourdough discards here. pesos

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Clarke’s Third Law.

This morning, sitting outside a cafe that was actually closed because of the lockdown here, Syncthing made a believer of me.

I enjoyed, if that’s the right word, giving blood and then plasma regularly in the UK. Since moving to Italy, I have tried a couple of times to donate, but they won’t have me, on the grounds that I lived in the UK during BSE. I know I shouldn’t, but I take it personally.

@clinklucy magnificent supper to end a miserable day. Can’t wait. pesos

They don’t look like much, but they tasted great, ricotta with rosemary butter, because the sage has vanished. pesos

Just the thing after a full day in front of a screen. pesos

Grano arso is effectively smoked flour, although I don’t know whether they smoke the flour or scorch the grain, as history suggests. Either way it makes a beautifully dark loaf with a smoky aroma and sweetish crumb. pesos