What I am currently reading

[neillsayers]

Lee,

Nothing smells better than bread baking in the kitchen!

[Bakersdozen]

Nice looking bread, Lee.  Yum!  I like to bake too.  The only trouble is, it is just the husband and I at home.  We can't eat that much and I shouldn't over indulge.
I will look into those two books you mentioned.  My husband is fascinated with language.  He also has a birthday right after the first of the year.  I am always looking for gift ideas. 

[Lburou]

Nice looking bread, Lee.  Yum!  I like to bake too.  The only trouble is, it is just the husband and I at home.  We can't eat that much and I shouldn't over indulge.
I will look into those two books you mentioned.  My husband is fascinated with language.  He also has a birthday right after the first of the year.  I am always looking for gift ideas. 

Same here, but my neighbors enjoy it.   Over this weekend a new neighbor moved in.  Having an extra, warm, boule of artisan bread I dropped one off and said hello.  A little later, their 5 year old announced his hunger.  The only thing in the house to eat was my artisan bread.  The husband announced to my wife that the three of them ate the entire loaf and it was "...The best they had ever had!"  I gave bread to three neighbors that day, so bread, when it turns out well, gets eaten. 

Just like beekeeping, it is amazing how something so simple on the surface as baking bread is actually NOT simple. 

[Bakersdozen]

100 Plants to Feed the Bees by the Xerces Society.
This is a great field guide for beekeepers and friends of pollinators in North America just published.  I stumbled upon this on Amazon.  As you might guess, the book contains plant profiles on 100 top flowers, trees, shrubs, herbs and pasture plants that provide food or shelter.  The plants are listed in alphabetical order by common name so you don't need a degree in horticulture to know what the plants are.
The pictures are nicely done often including and identifying native bee species.   Each plant profile contains which pollinators visit the plant, the quality of honey the nectar produces, bloom data, landscape uses, planting tips, and quick map showing native range.  The recommended plants are mostly natives, but they do include non-natives with reservations.  Cautions on pesticide use, a quick botany lesson, and brief honey bee anatomy are also included. 

[Bakersdozen]

Nothing smells better than bread baking in the kitchen!

For Christmas I received a copy of Honey Crafting by Leeann Coleman and Jayne Barnes.  I turned to this book for a recipe to prepare for a family New Year's Eve get together.  Everything seemed pretty basic which led to a false sense of confidence.  I attempted Cabbage Spring Rolls with dipping sauce.  The vegetarian filling went well and was tasty. The dipping sauce was merely an Asian Chili Sauce mixed with honey.  So far so good. Then came time to actually build the spring roll and then deep fry.  Warning! Spring rolls are not for the novice. Husband rolled up his sleeves and was doing better at rolling the spring rolls.  I attempted to deep fry.  More disaster!  We got about 8 grease soaked ugly spring rolls.  Husband suggested taking the filling and rolling it up in crescent rolls.  As the clock ticked, he ran to the store for crescent rolls.  We ended up with a fusion Asian Pierogi that we served with spicy mustard.
After the party, we walked in the door and I noted that the house smelled like a Chinese Restaurant.