make do and mend for tougher times

Mrs_Chip

We can never keep the crust crisp, either on home made or shop bought bread. If we want it crispy I sprinkle the crust with water and stick it back in a hot oven for about 5 mins - not very OS but makes the bread lovely again - I also do this with older bread to refresh it as Mr C is very fussy and does not generally like bread that is a day old!

mardatha

Oh thanks mrs C I will do that - with ony the 2 of us and me not eating a lot of bread, even a wee loaf lasts us 2-3 days. I'm fussy too as I not a great bread lover. Never seen such a thing as a big brown paper bag for ages - if anybody finds them please yell.

Pooky

Morning all

It's quite overcast here this morning, hopefully it will be a bit cooler, it's been so muggy the past few days.

DH has a occ therapy appointment this morning in the next town so going to take the opportunity of spending a few hours in the town seeing as we're there. Need to pop to the big wi1kins0ns for some new feet for DHs walking sticks, another of those little amounts that adds up over the year.

Byatt - glad you like the blog, I've neglected it since moving but have lots of stuff to put on now I've got myself organised. I'm a bit of a "give it a go" merchant on anything crafty, if it doesn't work then it can normally be salvaged into something else.

fuddle

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

We can never keep the crust crisp, either on home made or shop bought bread. If we want it crispy I sprinkle the crust with water and stick it back in a hot oven for about 5 mins - not very OS but makes the bread lovely again - I also do this with older bread to refresh it as Mr C is very fussy and does not generally like bread that is a day old!

Excellent Mrs C The loaf on the second day always tastes a bit ergh, I don't like it and neither does DH. I shall be doing this :T

fuddle

Not at all OS but if any family members go to McDonalds we could get them to give us their big brown bag for our bread.

thanks pops i'll wrap mine in grease proof. I wonder if the cheap wallpaper (backing paper) I use for the girls to draw on would work? Any health and safety issues with this paper and food stuffs? You never know!

Possession

mardatha wrote: »

Oh thanks mrs C I will do that - with ony the 2 of us and me not eating a lot of bread, even a wee loaf lasts us 2-3 days. I'm fussy too as I not a great bread lover. Never seen such a thing as a big brown paper bag for ages - if anybody finds them please yell.

Here you go Mar:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1311&_nkw=brown+paper+bags&_sacat=0

DH gone off to an interview in Leicester today. Apparently he is the only person being interviewed for the job, how on earth does that work?!
The rest of us have the hairdresser coming today - I have my hair coloured and cut, the children just cut and she charges £55 for all 3 of us. Pretty good I think but am still plucking up my courage to tell her I can't have it coloured anymore. Yes I know I shouldn't need courage but I've known her 10 years and feel bad. I only have it done every 14 weeks or so, but it all adds up.

Mrs_Chip

Fuddle - a thickish cotton bag would do to replace the paper one (still not sure if it would work though), perhaps you could run one up? Or an old cotton pillowcase would do. It would need to be washed regularly to get rid of crumbs or they will go mouldy .

Mrs_Chip

Here is a rather expensive one, reading the blurb, I can't see that it would keep the crust crisp, just the bread moist. Easy to make one though if you have the right fabric.

mardatha

Where is GreyQueen? Has anybody seen her??

annie123

mardatha wrote: »

The bread turned out nice using Hovis granary flour and Hovis yeast...but we have a mystery. The crust was lovely and crisp when it came out, but after a few hours in the breadbin (aka crockpot that sits beside it on the worktop lol) the crust went soft. We like crusty crunchy bread...does anybody know why it would go soft?

Whilst I may not bake the best loaf, I can keep it crusty
It shouldn't be put away 'till the loaf has cooled totally (hours and hours), when cut put the cut side down on a bread board, out of sunlight, and throw a tea towel over it.
Bread bins without air gaps will make it sweat and the crust soften.
I did make a 'fitted' bread cover out of a tea towel but DD took it with her when she moved out.