Hey there everyone! Thought I'd do a quick 101 Things update for the month of May. Much like last month I was pretty convinced I hadn't done much off my list. But I was wrong!
#1 - Year of the Cupcake: It's done! It's finished! Kaput! 12 types of cupcake, all baked, and a month ahead of time!
#2 and #4 - Tasting wine in the Clare and Barossa Valleys: Well I'm planning to, but it will depend on whether my partners in crime are able to join me. And of course I am unable to log into FB from work so I can't check my messages and therefore whether my Adelaide buddies said they were available. I really hope they are cos I have a hankering for a wine tasting!
#22 - to learn to make cheese: Done! I did it at Red Hill Cheese. I will write a post on it shortly, but for now be satisfied that it is complete. We did goat milk cheese, including a feta, a farmhouse cheese, ricotta and yoghurt. So far I've eaten some of the yoghurt and some of the farmhouse cheese, and I am suitably impressed.
#30 - to do a jigsaw puzzle: Done! I did a Ken Duncan one, and enjoyed every moment. It was kind of a meditative process, and it enabled me to clear my mind of everything but the puzzle. It's rare that my brain is that quiet and it was lovely.
#54 & 55 - to visit Mexico and Africa: I'm a step closer to this because I chatted about it with my project manager, and he didn't seem to be against it. As my friend Matt pointed out, even if they needed me on site, if I take holidays then it costs them less!
#57 - to write a list of 10 places I wanted to visit: I'm on to about the third draft of this list as I come up with new places and refine the list! I'll share it soon, though.
#60 & 61 - to re-read Wuthering Heights, and to read Long Walk to Freedom. Both are complete, and - scandal - I didn't hate Wuthering Heights!!! So I kind of failed one part of #60, because it specified that I was to try not to be angry when I realised I'd wasted my time. Technically I didn't have to try not to be angry, and I didn't realise I'd wasted my time, so I technically failed!
#64 - to get a food handler's certificate: I've found an online course and enrolled. Now I just have to find a couple of spare hours to sit down and actually do it!
#93 - to ask my dad about his life and take notes. I've actually started to talk to him about it. No notes yet, but it's a start.
I like puzzles too. Though sadly my house is not big enough to spare the floor space! (unless I did, say, a 30 piece puzzle)
ReplyDeleteMaking your own ricotta is awesome. I was amazed that you didn't need special equipment or ingredients to do it! Mmm, maybe we'll have ricotta gnocchi this weekend...
I'll have to review my notes, but I think the ricotta was made of the whey left over from making the cheese. It had vinegar and added and was brought to a certain temperature and kept there, stirring all the while. At a certain point you basically skim the curds off and drain it. I guess when you think about it, it's not a lot different to making your own buttermilk by adding white vinegar to milk. I particularly like that you're using a waste product to make something tasty :)
DeleteIt's nice to know you are a fellow cupcake lover! LOL. I'd love to go to Africa too - one of my dreams is to see the pyramids in Egypt.
ReplyDeleteI <3 cupcakes. I think it's because you don't have to think about how big a slice to cut :)
DeleteI'd love to see the pyramids but I'd REALLY love to see Karnak. I think being able to really walk amongst it all and explore is part of the appeal.