Random Musings

Mind Maps

I’ve been a mind mapper for some years and have tried all sorts of different mind mapping software with varying success. I have found the online mind mapping application Mindmeister to be very good (especially for collaborating with others), but I find it difficult to print out the results.

Having trialled a number of packages, I finally decided on Tony Buzan’s iMindMap, which is available for Windows and Mac OSX. It’s easy to use and is available is several versions depending on your needs. I have the ‘Ultimate’ version, which includes Presentation mode and Project Management functionality. If you haven’t tried it, I recommend downloading the trial version.

Presentations

Speaking of presentations, I came across an interesting website that allows you to create animated and visually interesting presentations.

According to the Prezi website…

“Prezi is zooming sketches on a digital napkin.

It’s visualization and storytelling without slides. Your ideas live on stage and on the web.

Have you ever wondered about presenting your thoughts as free as they come? Ever got tired of creating a slideshow? It’s been said, that the best innovations come from people who are unhappy with the tools they use. We realized that our ideas won’t fit into slides anymore. Putting together creative thinking and technology expertise, we have created Prezi, a living presentation tool.”

Check out prezi.com for more information and to sign up for an account.

University studies

I am about to start the second year of a part-time MBA course and am busy preparing for the first modules (Strategic Finance & Information and another module to be decided). I’ve been reading a few books to get a running start when the course kicks off.

I came across an interesting portal for University studies:

intute.ac.uk

The website is a free resource provided by a consortium of UK universities:

• University of Birmingham
• University of Bristol
• Heriot-Watt University
• The University of Manchester
• Manchester Metropolitan University
• University of Nottingham
• University of Oxford

The Universities’ subject specialists vet the websites and resources listed, so you can be assured of their quality and accuracy. A good resource.

Another interesting website worth a visit is the World Digital Library at wdl.org. According to their website their mission is to make available significant materials from countries and cultures around the world.

Recommended.

Bertinet Sourdough

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been trying Richard Bertinet‘s sourdough ferment recipe. The ferment is lively and strong and gave a good rise to the dough. I have to admit that I struggled somewhat with getting the dough usable as the water content of Richard’s recipe is higher than other recipe’s I’ve tried. I reckon it’s all in the technique  and I still need to work at it (I reckon a place on Richard’s breadmaking course is on the cards).

After 20 hours in the proving baskets, I found the dough very delicate and a little ‘runny’. In fact, I had to throw one of the doughs away as it just collapsed in on itself in a runny mess when I took it out of the basket. The other dough was a little more stable, but didn’t like being slashed with the lame – almost like popping a balloon!

The loaf I managed to get in the oven turned out to be light and somewhat sweet tasting rather than sour. For my taste, I will need to leave the leaven a little longer than Richard suggests to develop a sourer taste.

All in all, not an unqualified success with sourdough so far, but getting better. I will carry on trying because I love the taste. It can only get better (I hope).

Artisan Baking

Those who follow me on Twitter will know I’ve been making more bread lately: slow ferment and sourdough recipes. I’ve tried a few Leaven recipes, including Dan Lepard’s Rye starter.

I had mixed results with Dan Lepard‘s recipe and wasn’t too impressed with my first efforts, which were rather flat, although very tasty (lovely sourdough taste and smell).  I decided to try Richard Bertinet’s Spelt, White Flour and Honey ferment starter recipe from his wonderful book  Crust and so far so good. I’m currently on day 4 so not much longer to go before I make my first loaf with this new leaven. If you’re interested in making your own bread, I can’t recommend Richard Bertinet’s books highly enough. He has written two (each includes a DVD):

• Dough
• Crust: Bread to get your teeth into
  

Richard also has a cookery school in Bath where he teaches bread making.  I’d love to do his 5-day bread making course.

In the video below, Richard demonstrates his Sweet Dough technique:

Use the following link to view Richard’s Sweet Dough recipe: http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/03/sweetdough

Yet more baking

Today has been yet another baking day: first off was Dark Chocolate and Orange Scones (another Antony Worrall Thompson recipe, albeit using plain chocolate rather than white chocolate). Easy to make and rather tasty. I tried one and the rest are in the freezer! Next off a Weight Watchers recipe: simple vanilla cookies. Finally, I did a Delia: Low-Fat Moist Carrot Cake.

People are asking why all the baking? The answer? I dunno! I just had the urge for some unknown reason. Simple as that.

Update: Delia’s Carrot Cake is THE best I have ever tasted. So moist too. Simply delicious.

Baking: what’s it all about?

Is it the Credit Crunch? Is it a mid-life crisis? A throw-back to childhood? Who knows, but recently I’ve been on a baking marathon. In the last two weeks I’ve baked all manner of bread, cookies, brownies and cakes. I hasten to add that I have shared them with my team at work rather than eaten them all myself.

Some have been a spectacular success; others not so. Rachel Allen‘s Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Blondies from her book Bake were delicious and very easy to make.

I found Anthony Worrall Thomposon‘s book The Sweet Life in Morrisons supermarket at a bargain price (£1.99). It’s a book of recipes using Splenda sugar substitute. Great for those of us who have to watch their weight! The Apricot and Ginger Tea Bread turned out to be a triumph. Fantastic taste and texture. You would not know it was sugarless. Worth the cost of the book alone!

A couple of days ago, I tried a BBC Food recipe for Banana and Walnut Loaf. I’m sorry to say it turned out to be rather crumbly and a little on the dry side. It could well have been me, but I did follow the recipe to the letter. I’ve Googled a few new banana loaf recipes, which I plan to try at some point.

My latest fad is muffins and cupcakes…so easy to make and tasty too!

When will this end?

Update: Paul Cole has tweeted to me a recipe for Banana loaf from Sound Bites in Derby, which he says is good. Use the following link to see Sound Bites shop on Google Street View: Sound Bites Derby (opens in a new window).

Snow

The worst snow in 18 years, so it said on the news.

I have been standing at the bus stop since 7:30 this morning and not a single bus. Just after 9am a bus appeared and the driver told us all that all buses have been cancelled due to the appauling weather. So I’m now home in the warm. Working from home seems like a very good idea.