expoweb/years/2024/log_entries/2024-07-10a.json

{
 "date": "2024-07-10",
 "title": "basecamp - Bread Making",
 "place": "basecamp",
 "other_people": "",
 "text": "<p>\nWith an afternoon of festering well on the way after arriving back from our FF rope \nretrieving trip yesterday, it was decided that I should try my hand at bread making.  \nHolding a degree in International Relations from Aberystwyth University, I was deemed \nthe perfect candidate for checking if the instructions were indeed 'idiot proof'.  \nHolding a Masters degree in International Relations from Aberystwyth University I was \nof course delighted to find the 'Numpty Dumpty makes a loaf of bread' edition of the \ninstructions.  \n<p>\nAfter initial faff with finding and setting up the equipment an opportunity was \nidentified to time how long it would in fact take for me to wrap my head around the \nguide, and get a loaf of bread started in the machine.  A stopwatch was started and I \ncontinued.  \n<p> \nRegrettably the faff continued.  Notable moments include setting 20ml of water out in \nthe sun to warm enough to activate the yeast, and indeed going down an internet forum \nrabbit hole to try to decipher how much water to add to about a third of a packet of \nyeast in the first place.  A heated debate also arose from the instructions regarding \nthe stirring implement for the bread mixer. In absence of a wooden or plastic spoon I \nelected to use the *cleaned* plastic handle of a sharp knife.  Before I could enact my \nplan however I was hurriedly halted by Phil, insisting I used the special tool which \napparently exists to stir the bread.  This tool takes the form of a plastic knife.  A \nplastic knife is of course not the wooden or plastic spoon noted in the specification \nfor the bread making machine, and despite my pleas that between the two they are so \nsimilar that stirring potential would not differ, I eventually yielded, trusting in the \nexperienced guidance that the knife would produce the best results.\n<p>\nOn to the results though, the bit you are all interested in.  After dutifully waiting \nthe three and a half hours, the bread was extracted.  Slicing it up, samples were \ndistributed.  I'll leave it to the quotes to put together the picture of how it went.\n<p>\nTrying the bread first, Phil came out with \"It's not mixed very well, there are dense \nlumps of salt in it\".  Under usual circumstances this would not be too bad, however the \nquote was accompanied with a deliberate journey to the door of the tatty hut and \nbeyond.  The bread's final resting place we can only guess at, but it is alluded to \nbeing the bush outside.  \n<p>\nUpon Mr. Waite trying the bread second he ended up lying on the floor, claiming the \nbread was \"so dense I had to lie down\".  When I made a move to pretend to kick James on \nthe way past he responded \"please don't make it come up, I don't want to taste it \ntwice!\"  It was at this point when Jacob chimed in with the tactful comment \"I couldn't \neven finish mine\", adding \"I feel nauseous\" for good measure.  \n<p>\nI do not know how it says more about (my bread, the others or Charlotte) but her \ncomment was \"I thought it was actually quite nice\".  So there you go, idiosyncratic \ntaste buds or an unwavering commitment to politeness?  I'll let you decide.\n<p>\nIn the end I took this episode as an omen, deciding to call off my trip up the plateau \nearly tomorrow morning.  I was on the edge and this certainly seemed like the universe \nsending me a message.  There is a silver lining though, and that is that I'll certainly \nnever be asked to make bread again.  Another afternoon drinking beer for me!\n<br>\nYours to the final Sump,<br>\nIsaac.",
 "slug": "2024-07-10a",
 "time_underground": 0.0,
 "author": {
  "slug": "isaac-neale",
  "nickname": "Isaac",
  "tu": 0.0
 },
 "trippersons": [
  {
   "slug": "isaac-neale",
   "nickname": "Isaac",
   "tu": 0.0
  },
  {
   "slug": "charlotte-payne",
   "nickname": "charlotte",
   "tu": 0.0
  },
  {
   "slug": "jacob-chuck",
   "nickname": "jacob",
   "tu": 0.0
  },
  {
   "slug": "philip-sargent",
   "nickname": "philip s",
   "tu": 0.0
  },
  {
   "slug": "james-waite",
   "nickname": "waite",
   "tu": 0.0
  }
 ],
 "expedition": {
  "year": "2024",
  "name": "CUCC expo 2024"
 }
}