Dear LPG,  

I think that we can all agree that my failed cooking relationship with yeast was very apparent last month and, perhaps it was a determination to get past my Fahrenheit / Centigrade issues that drove me back to taking on, another bread-based dish, Georgia’s Khachapuri.

This time I have to admit to having heated and waited until the precise instant that the thermometer displayed 38º C, (I got Alexa to provide the conversion for me and I got it to do the calculation twice - just in case) before adding the yeast.  In fact, I waited a bit too long and the liquid got a bit too cold, and I actually put it back in the microwave to heat up again in order to achieve perfection this time. I also have to admit to putting a little extra yeast in for good measure and success! My dough did rise although, to get the egg cooked enough it was a bit overdone.  I suppose you can’t have everything, and I should point out that, when I got it home I realised that the bread flour I bought was wholemeal.  

Everything else went to plan although I think I put a little too much cheese in each of my dough boats because they grew so much that there was not space for them on the large baking tray that I chose for baking them and the eggs I added did not have sufficient space to cook in the space I left for them resulting in an egg-overflow situation.  

They might not look too authentic, but my taste test team agreed that they had a very positive effect on the tongue.  I just need to make the next batch a little smaller if I want anyone to be able to manage a whole one on their own.  

Having repaired my relationship with yeast I decided that I needed to find a national dish that moved back to the fully fledged dinner table and that was when I noticed that July 12th is a day of celebration for all those who hail from the over 7,000 islands which are recognised as being part of the Philippines.  Their dish of note is called Chicken Adobo and I recognise nearly all the ingredients.  You might be pleased to know that there is no yeast among them. 

I will be ready for that challenge and hope you will be too…

CB, Lewisham.

CB offers a few recipe choices for those who want to follow her lead…

(►►►)   (►►►)    

(►►►)   (►►►)    (►►►)    (►►►)