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Food Friday - influenced by the Britts edition

Before I begin with the actual content of today's posting I have a message for the woman who emailed me a couple of days ago from the "email me" box to the right. Unfortunately, you put in a bad email address. I attempted to email you four times and each time the postmaster  returned the message as un-deliverable. So write back. I will be happy to discuss making you an atara for you grandfather's tallit.

 So now, on to my actual post.

I work out most mornings. Usually as I do my weights or run in place on my rebounder I have something on the TV from Netflix. This week I have been watching The Great British Bake-Off.

I love how completely kind the contestants are to one another. I am also completely charmed by the baking categories I have never heard of, like a picnic pie or was it a loaf?

I am still not entirely sure what a Victoria sponge is, but I did learn something in the pretzel baking segment, that [pretzels are boiled with baking soda in the water to help create a nice shiny crust. A soft pretzel is a near cousin to a bagel so I tried it out in my last batch.

I would give this tip a hearty "not bad". The crust texture was improved. There is still one bagel left and if you get here before it get's eaten, then it is yours.

I knew my dear friends were staying for Shabbat, so I baked a cake.

Yes, this cake was influenced by binge watching the British Bake Off. It's a citrus almond and ginger cake drizzled with ginger/lime/tequila caramel. I have fresh berries to serve with the cake.

My son made vaguely Indian chicken, I made a mixed grain pilaf and have roasted veggies to add to salad.
The broccoli is in the fridge waiting to be added to the salad.

Dinner is starting late so we have some starters so the people who are here won't faint from hunger.

I have LOTS of work currently on my plate so there wil be lots of photos to share of work in progress next week.

And for your pre-Shabbat pleasure, sunset from the New Jersey Turnpike.
This seems to be almost an illustration of the Chassidic teaching that there are sparks of the divine -even in a rock, and even on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Shabbat Shalom!
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