Exploring More Bigas - Baking & Pastry Week 20

The Penance Post or How to iPod Your Mom In Six Easy Steps

I got caught out the other day and found guilty of not just tuning out my Mom, but iPoding her. I razz my kids all the time about zoning out with their iPods. Honestly, I'm not offended, because if I wasn't driving the car or navigating us through another activity (i.e. grocery shopping), I'd be listening to my iPod too.

This past Christmas, we were home visiting with my family. I was busy in the kitchen, doing the white work icing on my gingerbread house. Happily zoning out listening to a book I downloaded from our library. Everyone else in the house was off doing their own thing or watching a movie in the family room. Turns out my Mom (i.e. the kid's grandmother) was telling everyone in the family room some important stuff about the next big family get together. I was off in book and icing land and didn't hear a word of it.

Last week, the kid's asked me if I had told Mimi (i.e. their grandmother) if we were going to be attending the big Spring family get together. I (of course) was puzzled by their question..."What big get together?"  Informative pair that they are, they started to let me know all about the party. Once again, I'm trying to figure out how they got to be in the know, as I'm so totally clueless about this event.

"Oh, Mimi told us about it," they replied. "When was that?" I ask. "Oh, that night around Christmas when everyone was over watching that movie we rented," they said. "Well, what was I doing, 'cause I don't remember this," I reply. They said, "You were decorating the gingerbread house, Mom." "Well, that explains it," I reply. "How so?" asks my son. "I was listening to a book while I iced the gingerbread," I said. "Oooooohhhhhh, you iPoded Mimi!" they popped out in unison. "You're in trouble now! We're telling Dad!" 

Our kid's have gotten a lot of mileage out of this transgression on my part...their Mom was caught iPoding her Mom. Priceless dirt as far as my kid's are concerned. They've told all their cousins, their friends and maybe even their grandfather. I've had emails from all my nephews and nieces asking the same question, "Is it true that you iPoded Mimi?" "Yep!" I emailed back.  "Wow! I don't suppose you lost the use of your iPod?" my 16 year old nephew asked. "I just lost my iPod Touch for two weeks, because I didn't turn in some of my homework assignments." "Well," I said, "Not turning in your homework, is kinda different than iPoding Mimi." "Yeah, I know...," he mumbled.

So this post is my penance for iPoding my Mom. My family decided I should have to confess.

If you're wondering how you too can iPod someone, here are six easy steps to getting it done:

1. Remove the volume control on your iPod.

2. Buy better ear buds.  Look at the Creative line for some nice ones.

3. Find a task to do with your hands while you listen.

4. Listen to something that will engross you, i.e. favorite music or book.

5. Make sure that the person you are iPoding is saying or doing something worth iPoding them over.

6. Be willing to pay the price for iPoding.

Now that I've confessed, I'm off to bake some more in solace. I'm remaking the first loaf of ciabatta I made. It ended up turning out into something looking more like focaccia rather than ciabatta. It tasted great, but I wanted a rounded loaf not a flat one, so back to the kitchen I go.


What Am I Baking?

Rosemary Bread made with a biga (egg free & dairy free option)

Ciabatta made with a biga (egg free & dairy free)


Shopping List

Brown Rice Flour (Fine or Superfine Grind)
Sweet Rice Flour (also called glutinous rice flour)
Arrowroot Starch
Almond Meal
High Protein Flours, such as: Soybean, White Bean, Black Bean
Whole Grain Flour, such as: Buckwheat, Millet, Sorghum, Quinoa, Teff
Instant Dry Yeast
Binding Agents, such as: Xanthan or Guar Gum, Chia Seed Meal, Agar Agar Powder
Olive Oil
Rosemary
Milk or Alternative Milk

Resources

Flours & Binding Agents: Authentic Foods, Barry Farm, Bob's Red Mill
Instant Dry Yeast: Barry Farm
Agave Syrup: Wild Organics, Native Seeds


Equipment

Cookie Sheet
Parchment Paper
Baking Stone


What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their culinary dvd's from my family for my birthday and our anniversary. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Want more?

You can follow me on Twitter and on Flickr.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Index of the Baking & Pastry Project

Baking & Pastry Project #34 - Almond Buckwheat Batard with Poolish
Baking & Pastry Project #33 - Stollen
Baking & Pastry Project Week 17 - Sponge & A Poolish
Baking & Pastry Project #32 - Gugelhopf Crown
Baking & Pastry Project #31 - Panettone
Baking & Pastry Project Week 16 - Holiday Breads