Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Muffin Disaster
I think of myself as an averagely successful home cook prepared to experiment and try new things so it was with some enthusiasm that I sat up and noted a practical demonstration of christian discipleship, involving food, being given in a dramatic presentation at a recent church meeting.
One of the youth leaders, Josh, was making a muffin mix using fresh ingredients and had enlisted the help of a six year old, Jack, to show him how it was done. Another volunteer was required to let the six year old show what he had learnt. I volunteered. It was all about discipleship! Josh was explaining the principle of a mentor working with a mentee and teaching by showing and doing. It actually worked very well, but.....
Back at home I thought I would put into practise what I had learnt in the morning. I thought I could remember the "recipe" and since I had tasted Josh's muffins on a previous occasion and just loved them I thought here was a chance to try it out for myself.
The principle of discipleship is Josh did it and I enjoyed it, Josh did it with me, I did with Josh and then I did it alone.
I missed one crucial step I think. Doing it with Josh watching me.
So I made the batter - that bit was quite easy but then I realised I didn't have any muffin cases or deep enough fairy cake cooking trays. So having found some small le Creuset dishes I poured in the batter only to realise I hadn't put any fat or oil into the mix. I poured the batter back into the mixing bowl to add the oil then back into the dishes by which time any air in the batter had been completely lost so I was expecting the mix not to cook very well.
Sure enough after 20 mins at 180 degrees C a nice crust has formed but the insides were not cooked. Back in the oven the dishes went and another 5 mins passed. Still not cooked! Another 5 mins by which time the crust was beginning to get a bit dark, but at least the inside was cooked - ish!
So I now have two slightly stodgy banana muffin cakey things, nice and crisp on the outside but only just about edible on the inside.
Tomorrow will see me me popping out to buy a flexible Tefal muffin tray to try again!
Excuse me while I make a banana-ery sort of over-under cooked muffiney flavoured burp.
I guess there must be some lessons on discipleship here somewhere or just basic cookery!
One of the youth leaders, Josh, was making a muffin mix using fresh ingredients and had enlisted the help of a six year old, Jack, to show him how it was done. Another volunteer was required to let the six year old show what he had learnt. I volunteered. It was all about discipleship! Josh was explaining the principle of a mentor working with a mentee and teaching by showing and doing. It actually worked very well, but.....
Back at home I thought I would put into practise what I had learnt in the morning. I thought I could remember the "recipe" and since I had tasted Josh's muffins on a previous occasion and just loved them I thought here was a chance to try it out for myself.
The principle of discipleship is Josh did it and I enjoyed it, Josh did it with me, I did with Josh and then I did it alone.
I missed one crucial step I think. Doing it with Josh watching me.
So I made the batter - that bit was quite easy but then I realised I didn't have any muffin cases or deep enough fairy cake cooking trays. So having found some small le Creuset dishes I poured in the batter only to realise I hadn't put any fat or oil into the mix. I poured the batter back into the mixing bowl to add the oil then back into the dishes by which time any air in the batter had been completely lost so I was expecting the mix not to cook very well.
Sure enough after 20 mins at 180 degrees C a nice crust has formed but the insides were not cooked. Back in the oven the dishes went and another 5 mins passed. Still not cooked! Another 5 mins by which time the crust was beginning to get a bit dark, but at least the inside was cooked - ish!
So I now have two slightly stodgy banana muffin cakey things, nice and crisp on the outside but only just about edible on the inside.
Tomorrow will see me me popping out to buy a flexible Tefal muffin tray to try again!
Excuse me while I make a banana-ery sort of over-under cooked muffiney flavoured burp.
I guess there must be some lessons on discipleship here somewhere or just basic cookery!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
A Day in the Life of a Project Manager....
Woke at 6:30 - just too early to get up. Woke again at 8:15 having slept through the alarm!! I am now alarmed!
Still managed to eat my bowl of porridge made from Jumbo Oats and soaked overnight in goats milk and then cooked over a slow charcoal fire. Actually the charcoal fire is a fib but it sounds more romantic!!!!
Fortunately the M4 & M32 are clear today so the journey to St Paul's takes only 20 minutes.
Today I can park in the office car park as I am taking a large box of art materials to give away to those who want them at work. Walking the usual 15 minutes would be too difficult with such a large box.
I don't even get my coat off before one of the Maintenance Officers grabs me to get some detailed information I have been promising him for a few days. Fortunately I can lay my hands on it right away and he is impressed. Phew!
Then its the easy stuff. Sorting out a pile of invoices for my projects and getting them countersigned by my Director. I then catch up with someone else on four or five housing projects.
Now for a cup of tea. Earl Grey; but someone bought the wrong milk. I tell you Earl Grey with full cream milk is not nice!! Maybe I'll stick to water.
All this happens with the usual phone call interruptions to sort security on a building site, arrange for a last minute appointment and plan my itinerary for the next day.
I'm due out at 12:10 and all I need is that one phone call at 12:00 that is so involved that it can't be dealt with quickly.
Today is a monthly get together at the House of Fraser with my Mentor. I'm late by now so I walk jog walk as quickly as I can to the top floor restaurant. Two coffees aand an hour later I walk jog walk bag to the office to pick up keys for a site meeting at 2:00.
The contractor is cross and takes it out on me. I allow him to grumble on for a bit then remind him who he is working for. Mutterings under breath - by him not me.
The meeting takes about 2 hours and eventually I get back to the office for 4:00 - another cup of tea. Oh and I forgot about the milk. Ugh!
While I've been out there are the usual 100 emails and 50 phone messages which need dealing with and then the Chief Exec wants some info NOW.
Hooray, today I can leave the office early as I have a physiotherapy appointment at 5:45 at the top of Park Street. So off I trot to be pummelled and twisted until it hurts - but its all good for me he says. Afterwards I feel great - I suppose its a bit like the glorious feeling you get when you stop banging your head against a wall!!
I need some shopping so I then pop into Waitrose in Henleaze. I don't actually get home until 8 and then its cooking a nice ratatouille with chargrilled chicken and wholegrain rice finished off with vanilla yoghurt and a banana.
By now its too late to be doing much else so I check my emails and post some stuff on the V Cell. I have a good detective novel to read at the moment set in the time of Henry VIII so maybe I'll get to bed at a reasonable time tonight.
Still managed to eat my bowl of porridge made from Jumbo Oats and soaked overnight in goats milk and then cooked over a slow charcoal fire. Actually the charcoal fire is a fib but it sounds more romantic!!!!
Fortunately the M4 & M32 are clear today so the journey to St Paul's takes only 20 minutes.
Today I can park in the office car park as I am taking a large box of art materials to give away to those who want them at work. Walking the usual 15 minutes would be too difficult with such a large box.
I don't even get my coat off before one of the Maintenance Officers grabs me to get some detailed information I have been promising him for a few days. Fortunately I can lay my hands on it right away and he is impressed. Phew!
Then its the easy stuff. Sorting out a pile of invoices for my projects and getting them countersigned by my Director. I then catch up with someone else on four or five housing projects.
Now for a cup of tea. Earl Grey; but someone bought the wrong milk. I tell you Earl Grey with full cream milk is not nice!! Maybe I'll stick to water.
All this happens with the usual phone call interruptions to sort security on a building site, arrange for a last minute appointment and plan my itinerary for the next day.
I'm due out at 12:10 and all I need is that one phone call at 12:00 that is so involved that it can't be dealt with quickly.
Today is a monthly get together at the House of Fraser with my Mentor. I'm late by now so I walk jog walk as quickly as I can to the top floor restaurant. Two coffees aand an hour later I walk jog walk bag to the office to pick up keys for a site meeting at 2:00.
The contractor is cross and takes it out on me. I allow him to grumble on for a bit then remind him who he is working for. Mutterings under breath - by him not me.
The meeting takes about 2 hours and eventually I get back to the office for 4:00 - another cup of tea. Oh and I forgot about the milk. Ugh!
While I've been out there are the usual 100 emails and 50 phone messages which need dealing with and then the Chief Exec wants some info NOW.
Hooray, today I can leave the office early as I have a physiotherapy appointment at 5:45 at the top of Park Street. So off I trot to be pummelled and twisted until it hurts - but its all good for me he says. Afterwards I feel great - I suppose its a bit like the glorious feeling you get when you stop banging your head against a wall!!
I need some shopping so I then pop into Waitrose in Henleaze. I don't actually get home until 8 and then its cooking a nice ratatouille with chargrilled chicken and wholegrain rice finished off with vanilla yoghurt and a banana.
By now its too late to be doing much else so I check my emails and post some stuff on the V Cell. I have a good detective novel to read at the moment set in the time of Henry VIII so maybe I'll get to bed at a reasonable time tonight.
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