About the P word

There is no word in the English language more frustrating than 'practice' or 'practise'.

There you go, with problem number one.  There are not many words in English that mean the same thing but are spelt differently depending on whether they are are a verb or a noun.  If we were Spanish or German we would be used to this sort of thing but we're not.  The rule, as I understand it, is that if it's a verb (a doing-word to those, like me, who never did any grammar after primary school) it has an S but if it is a noun then you use a C.  So you say, "I going to practise the piano." or "I am going to do my piano practice." Grammatical pedants get very upset if you get it wrong.  It can be seen as a huge crime.  Someone I know was laughingly telling me about when she was being a supply teacher last week and the class teacher had left her a note, which said, "Please get the children to practice their spellings."  She told me that she left her a note back, which said, "Practise your spellings - a verb - maybe you should practise yours."  Now, I like good grammar but I also like good manners and I thought that was a little rude.  I wonder if she will ever be asked to do supply for that teacher again?
Also, if you are American it doesn't matter.  It's always practice. It has taken me a good year to convince my computer that the word practise does exist and not automatically spell-correct it for me.

The second problem with practice is that it is just frustrating. Sometimes, no matter how hard or how often you practise nothing seems to improve.  I find piano practice particularly frustrating. I practise until my fingers ache and .....well, and nothing.

Practice is boring.  You do the same thing over and over again.  Then you do it again.  And then you give it another go.  W.E. Hickson is credited with inventing the proverb, "If at first you don't succeed, try try and try again."    He knew about practice, as he was a singer who wrote the 'improved version of the National Anthem.  I think I prefer W.C. Field's version, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again and then quit.  There's no point being a damn fool about it."

Today I decided to have a day off and do no practice. I read a book, sat on the sofa, and watched the GBBO master classes. Then I had this stupid idea that I would be able to make the 8-plaited loaf, if I practised it.

I suppose it's a little better but I want it to be PERFECT!

And there's another P-word!

Do You Knead the Dough?

Every time I bake bread variations of the old panto joke, "Do you knead the Dough?" "Of course I need the dough, I'm skint." run through my head.  I have a bread machine so this doesn't happen very often but it should as  making bread by hand is very therapeutic.

In honour of tomorrow's Great British Bake Off final I decided to set myself a technical challenge from my new birthday present and try Paul Hollywood's 8 Plaited Loaf.  Trying these technical challenges make me respect the candidates even more.

The recipe says to knead the dough for at least 10 minutes.  That's a long time.  Long enough to make your arms really ache but if you think about people who have really annoyed you it's extremely good for your mental health and also helps to get the dirt out from under your fingernails (only joking)

My favourite part is after the dough has risen and you get to punch it in the face.  The book calls it 'knocking it back' but let's be honest we all have someone we'd just love to punch in the face but never would.

I followed the instructions carefully, weighed out the dough to 8 equal pieces and rolled them to the same length.

Then it was time to plait.  Now, I should have known I wouldn't be very good at this.  My daughter never was the child with beautifully plaited hair, in fact I often struggled to just get it in bunches.  It wasn't difficult to follow the numbers but it didn't seem to be as even as it should have been.

It baked beautifully and has a nice firm bottom.  It also tastes great but looks nothing like the picture in the book.

A friend asked me, "What are we going to do after Tuesday, when the Bake Off is finished?"  

I might watch the Danish Bake Off (which I think is online somewhere).  I might do some more baking but I won't be applying for the next series.