ImPerceptibility

Posts Tagged ‘mead’

Hey, I’m back and I’ve kinda missed you. I know, I haven’t posted in almost a month. But I’ve been busy. No, not with the holidays. They came and went. We had a good time. Ate too much. Gave and received a bunch of stuff we didn’t need or want. Made memories. They’re over. Moving on to what really happened.

You may or may have not figured out by now that I tend to go off on tangents. About a month ago I realized that I really missed my sourdough starter. This was when it all started. I use to have the most awesome sourdough starter ever. I started it with a cup of white flour, some water, and some yeast. As time passed I fed it and stirred it. A little bit of buckwheat. A little bit of rice flour. Maybe a little cornmeal. One day I added some left over pumpkin puree. It began to take on a life of it’s own. I nurtured it and it bubbled. It was good stuff. I used it to make bread. Really good bread. But time passed and I began to take it for granted. After a few weeks of neglect I found it stinky and molding in the back of the refrigerator. I buried it in my compost pile. It deserved a proper burial.

Time passed and I had almost forgotten my sourdough starter. I focused my time on growing tomatoes and baking plain ole bread. I thought I was happy, but I wasn’t. I was lying to myself.

So, I started a new batch of sourdough starter. I was determined to rekindle the passion. It took a few days but before long I was once again baking scrumptious rolls and tasty loafs. The joy of baking was mine. I was a fully satisfied woman once again. Life was good.

But then, I started to want more. The yeast in my fridge was teasing me with its fermentation possibilities. I knew it could take me to new height of culinary bliss. It started out simply enough. I did a quick Internet search and my screen was filled with possibilities. I began to download recipes and read page after page of suggestions and advice. I wanted more. I needed more. It became almost an obsession.

Before I knew what was happening to me, I started to look at other fermentation possibilities. The sourdough starter I once loved just wasn’t enough. I spent every free minute with one hand on the keyboard and the other on my yeast container. I did things in my kitchen I am not proud of. I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life.

It was a twisted crooked road I traveled. When it was all said and done I ended up with a gallon of mead fermenting on my kitchen counter. I like to watch it as the little raisins float to the surface then fall back to the bottom. It’s like a little dance. A mead fermentation dance. It makes me happy.

If it all works out, this time next year I’ll have some fine mead to celebrate the New Year. I’m looking forward to it. I’m also looking forward to catching up with you. I hope you had a happy holiday and I send you my best wishes for the New Year. Bring on 2009.