The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion
ARCHIVE Team Challenge: UNO 2020
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Team Galactic Crème Brûlée
Oh this looks fun.I'd be tempted to go for one of the longer recipes so we have most flexibility
Sorry for being quiet for the first bit of the month. I’ve worked the last 8 days straight. Bleh. Nearly finished with my first book of the month finally! I’ll have more time to read now the next few days. Excited for this mini challenge :)
I’m confused by the spell it out portion. What exactly are we spelling out?
Kayla wrote: "I’m confused by the spell it out portion. What exactly are we spelling out?"Whatever we want!
We pick a word or a few (up to 15 letters altogether) and then we spell those out.
Does anyone have a particular preference for a recipe they would like to use?It would be useful to come to a team decision as this would help with the completion posts :-)
Completion post:
The Winter of the Witch
Date read: 10-Apr
Author : Katherine Arden
1, 5 : Oleg Ivanovich
2 : Tamara,
3 : 3rd in series
6 : Sergei Radonezhsky
7 : Vladimir Andreevich
Skip : Katherine Arden (author)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Date read: 12-Apr
1 : First in series
2 : Tommy Valdon
3 : Henry Reed
4 : Mrs. Bertha Flowers
5 : book title (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings)
6 : Stamps, San Francisco (places where Maya stays in her lifetime)
7 : Mrs. Viola Cullinan
8 : Ensenada
Skip : Kay Francis
Komal wrote: "
I have started The Handmaid's Tale for 1 Red"
Ooh, I hope you'll enjoy!
That was my first ever dystopia and I absolutely loved it.
Eldarwen wrote: "Perfect!Any idea if it also works for the 4 Yellow, Komal? Or just the 2 Yellow?"
No Eldarwen, it doesn't go for 4 Yellow.
Sorry for late reply!
Little UpdateThe colour cards we have left for April are the following:
5 Blue - Eldarwen Drachenkralle 1: Die Klaue des Morero (currently reading)
1 Red - Eldarwen We Are Blood and Thunder
1 Red - Komal The Handmaid's Tale (currently reading)
5 Green
9 Blue - Kayla Mirror in the Sky
8 Blue - Kayla Anna K
0 Blue - Kayla The Great Lenore
✔ 2 Yellow - Sophie The Bride Test
✔ 4 Blue - Eldarwen Chasing Cassandra
4 Yellow
✔ 5 Blue - Komal I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
✔ 7 Red - Sophie A Year of Ravens: A Novel of Boudica's Rebellion
✔ 2 Yellow - Komal The Winter of the Witch
7 Green
and 3 Wild Draw 4 cards:
- 9 Blue - Sophie
✔ - Draw 2 in Hand Fifteen (5 Blue)
-
Any takers for the ones that have not yet been claimed?
Komal wrote: "No Eldarwen, it doesn't go for 4 Yellow.Sorry for late reply!"
Ah, shame, but 2 is good, too!! :-)
Completion Post
Book: Brief Cases by Jim Butcher
Date Read: 13th April
Rating: 4 stars
Uno Cards:
3 - character: Harry Dresden
5 - character: Irwin Pounder
8 - character: Wyatt Earp
Skip - character: Irwin Pounder
Mini Challenge
- spell-out: J or B
- potentially word in text once we decide what on earth we're doing
- hat/staff on cover could be useful?
- yellow colour on author name
- white writing for the title (flour is used in practically every recipe - flour is white)
I'm tempted to say we do the Science Brioche recipe - lots of instructions and things we could find
Sorry for the quiet couple of days, been focusing on family over Easter. Should have a few completions coming later today
Date Read: April 12, 2020
Rating: 5 stays
Uno Cards:
1: First in series
2: Title
3: Character: Hannah
5: Author: Isabel Sterling
6: Author: Isabell Sterling
7: Character: Veronica
8: Character: Evan
9: Character: Nolan
Lots of choices! :)
Mini Challenge: Lots of witchy words. Depending on which recipe we choose I'm sure words will work.
Spell out options: T, I, S, V, H, E, B, N, G, M
(T- title, I and S - author, H- Hannah, V - Veronica, E- Evan, B-Benton, N- Nolan, G- Gemma, M- Morgan)
Sophie wrote: "I'm tempted to say we do the Science Brioche recipe - lots of instructions and things we could find"Sounds good to me!
Also helps it's the first on the list!
Recipe for reference:Science Brioche
Baking is all about the chemistry! From mixing compounds to various the chemical reaction via heat and yeast.
Team Science Brioche is all about the Pi, because you can't do Science without math. So, our Brioche is arranged in a circular disk, but don't forget to organize your dough balls in the molecular bond of our choice. Some options are pictured below:
Ingredients
Dough
500 g bread flour
2 eggs large
140 g milk
160 g 100% hydration SD starter
4 g active dry yeast
100 g sugar
5 tsp orange blossom water
2 tbsp orange syrup optional
zest of 2 lemons
10 g salt (NaCl)
1 ½ sticks unsalted softened butter
Egg wash
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp milk
It is important to have your butter properly softened, but not melted. The structure of solid butter is made of little crystals that interact with other ingredients and are essential for developing a nice gluten network. When you melt butter, those crystals are destroyed, so the structure of the butter is different, therefore, the way it interacts with other ingredients it’s also different.
Although the role of solid fats is not fully understood yet, scientists have agreed in a three-parts mechanism to explain what happens when we add butter or shortening to bread dough:
Wheat proteins have bound phospholipids in their structure which are essential for gluten elasticity. These lipids interact with the crystals found in the butter to create gluten-fat complexes (structures) that strengthen the gluten network and give it more elasticity.
Butter (or solid fats) can act as a lubricant between the gluten structure and starch matrix, improving the gas retention capacity of the dough. As a result, dough that has a higher content of solid fat has the ability to rise more due to an improved gas retention capacity.
Solid fat melts during baking and seals pores that are present in the dough through which the gas would, otherwise, scape. CO2 eventually leaves the dough, but the butter retards this process and, again, helps the expansion of the dough during baking, the famous “oven spring”.
You can see that a proper redistribution of the fats within the dough is very important. And the way to achieve it is…. By kneading! Of course 😉
Developing the gluten network of enriched dough consists of two major steps: One is the development of the gluten-starch matrix the other is the development of the gluten-butter complexes.
First, we need to develop the gluten-starch matrix, so then, the butter has a place to start forming the complexes I mentioned before. That’s why we don’t add the butter at the beginning, we knead the dough a little bit until it has a good consistency.
After that is when we start adding the butter.
However, how many times have you tried to develop the dough and it looks as it will never come together?
That’s because the long strands of gluten proteins, as they form, they get all tangled. If you force them too much (knead too much) you might end up breaking them, or in other words: over-kneading the dough. There’s a simple solution though… Let the dough rest!
Letting the dough rest while kneading can go a long way and reduce the kneading time. Whenever you have troubles to bring the dough to full development stop for 5-10 minutes so the gluten strands have time to detangle.
As you can see, breadmaking is pure science. And I hope that by understanding better what goes on when you mix the ingredients, you can succeed and make better and better brioche!
Instructions
Day 1 – late afternoon
1. Thaw 160 g of your sourdough starter (if you keep it frozen) or take 160 g a few hours after you fed your starter.
2. Add the eggs, milk, sugar, salt, dry yeast, orange blossom water, orange syrup, and your starter to your stand mixer bowl and give it a good whisk.
3. Sift the flour and add it to the wet ingredients. Combine until there are no dry flour particles.
4. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes to allow the flour particle to hydrate.
5. Start kneading the dough at low speed for about 10 minutes or until the dough gets a bit elastic
6. Add the butter in 3 or 4 batches, making sure it's completely incorporated before you add the new batch.
7. Knead the dough at low speed until it's very elastic, shiny, the surface has blisters and it's not sticky. You shouldn't need to add more flour. It should pass the windowpane test
8. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until it doubles in size
9. Place the dough in the fridge for a cold fermentation for at least 15 h. You can leave the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days
Day 2
1. Remove the dough from the fridge and gently deflate it. Cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes
2. Take 8 pieces of 130 – 140 g (4 – 5 oz) from the dough in equal pieces, shape them into balls and place then into your round baking pan.
3. Divide the rest of the dough into 2 equal pieces, flatten them with your hands and with a rolling pin roll them into a rectangle twice as wide as your rectangular baking pan.
4. Make a log with both pieces of dough, with a knife or a bench scraper divide them into equal halves, and place them in your rectangular baking pan.
5. Cover the two pans and let the dough rise to the rim of the pans.
6. Preheat your oven at 350 F
7. Before baking, whisk the egg yolk and the milk together and brush the brioche with it.
8. Bake the brioche for 45 minutes or until it's golden brown
9. For best results, let the brioche cool down to room temperature before cutting through it.
Recipe Notes
Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes before performing the windowpane test.
You can shape the brioche in any way you prefer. Just make sure that the dough fills half of the container you use.
(Recipe composed/science explained with help from the All You Knead is Bread blog
https://allyoukneadisbread.com/brioch...)
Completion
Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
13/4
4*
1 - Oliver Perks
2 - Author
3 - Tonker Halter
5 - Igorina
6 - Sam Vines
7 - Sam Vines
9 - Nuggan
Skip - Author
Salt - white writing on cover (or another instance of flour, or sugar)
Solid - solid rock
Help - They are helping each other put up the flag
Letters as above plus Sam Vimes, William de Worde, Angua von Überwald, Otto Chriek, Reg Shoe, Polly Perks, Buggy Swires, Nuggan, Strappi, Jackrum, Maladicta, Igorina, Jade, Tonker Halter, Shufti Manickle, Wazzer Goom, Lofty Tewt
Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
14/4
3*
62751 words on arbookfinder
1 - 1st in series
2 - Tigerclaw
3 - author name
4 - Firepaw
5 - title
6 - Spottedleaf
8 - author name
9 - Nightpelt
Skip - Patchpelt
Lionheart, Graystripe, Fireheart, Bluestar, Tigerclaw, Whitestorm, Crookedstar, Ravenpaw, Spottedleaf, Darkstripe, Longtail, Runningwind, Willowpelt, Mousefur, Frostfur, Brindleface, Goldenflower, Speckletail, Halftail, Patchpelt, One-eye, Dappletail, Brokenstar, Runningnose, Stumpytail, Clawface, Nightpelt, Dawncloud, Brightflower, Ashfur, Tallstar, Oakheart, Blackfoot, Boulder, Smallear, Yellowfang, Smudge, Barley, Rosetail, Dustpaw, Sandpaw
?finding 3 on the cover as there are 3 cats...
And with that we've finished our first hand of the month!Feel like coronavirus and world events have hit our little team hard. I hope you are all well and taking care of yourselves.
At least the second hand is on the way, too ;-) I'm half-way through the 5 Blue book and I'll be done with another one today, which won't fit for much but at least it has a couple of options.
I'm about to start something with a blue cover that works for 0, 2, 6, 7, 9 just from the first page!
Sophie wrote: "I'm about to start something with a blue cover that works for 0, 2, 6, 7, 9 just from the first page!"Gotta love a book with a colour cover that instantly works for so many cards!
And by chapter 4 I've got 4 too. Fingers crossed for the rest to turn up - a full house would give us loads of choices
Completion Post
Book: Soundless by Richelle Mead
Date Read: 15th April
Rating: 3 stars
Uno Cards:
0 - stand-alone
4 - character: Fei
6 - title
9 - character: Nuan
Mini Challenge:
spell-out: S, R, M, F, L, Z, X, N
white dress on cover (for white items such as flour, sugar, etc)
black hair on cover (for potential black items)
I’m not dropping out I’m a very mood reader but I haven’t been in the right mood in about a month, I’ve been very sad. I’m trying to read anything I can but I just end up being tired and wanting to sleep. I’ll try to read at least one book for the uno.
Extreme mood reading can be a bit of a pain sometimes...Have you tried some upbeat novels? Or maybe some kind of humour fueled chick lit? (I'm thinking of Sophie Kinsella here)
Or maybe someone from the team has a suggestion on what kind of book to read to get out of a slump?
I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling so sad, it's really hard when that happens. Anything you can manage to read would be great, we appreciate that everyone is finding it tough at the moment.What type of stuff do you normally enjoy? I'll see if I've got any suggestions that might help (personally I find escaping to a fictional world can help when I get v low)
I'm sorry I'm not giving a rolling update with guidance on the mini-challenge this time round. There are so many options with the recipe in terms of words we can spell out, words to find and titles for a story that direction is almost useless as everything will fit somewhere. Also if our reading speed continues as is, we won't reach 45 books to fill all the spots.
I think this is yellow enough for one of our wild4 cards, but it's close. Any objections?
That colour is terrible! It looks like a weird kind of yellow mixed with puke o.OSorry! hehe
Just tell me it has a character that works for 4 and we can use it for that colour card nobody has claimed yet. Pretty please?
Yes, there are 2 - DCI Falcon or Nigel Fingerling. It's not a good colour but it's a series I'm really enjoying at the moment.
I'm sure by the time I'm finished it will fit the skip or 3 in that hand as well
Yay, it's finally the weekend!! :-)Not that this has been a long week..... hehe
Seems like the weather isn't going to be as nice today so that will be my excuse for spending the entire day reading! I want to finish both my current reads, the blue and the red one.
Good luck finishing them both!I've kinda lost track of whether it's the weekend or not at the moment. Doesn't make much difference to what I'm doing.
Completion:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
15/4
3*
1 - 1st in series
2 - title
3 - author surname
6 - Lara-Jean Song
Skip - Peter Kavinsky
Mini
J - Jenny Han, L - Lara Jean, M - Margot, K - Kitty, C - Chris, G - Genevieve
Nothing to Lose by Victoria Selman
17/4
5*
Read for Blue 5 duplicate (Wild 4) - Donald Isaksson
0 - Ziba Mackenzie
2 - 2nd in series
3 - Dan Harper
4 - DCI Falcon
6 - author
7 - author
8 - Emmeline
9 - title
Letters as above + JW - Jack Wolfie
Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman
17/4
5*
0 - Ziba Mackenzie
3 - 3rd in series
4 - Nigel Fingerling/DCI Falcon
5 - Ian Heppe
6 - author
7 - author
9 - Nigel Fingerling
Letters as above + JW Jack Wolfie, C - Charlotte, R - Rosie Lingers, G - Marc Gethen
Completion Post
Book: Captured by Erica Stevens
Date Read: 18th April
Rating: 3 stars
Uno Cards:
1 - #1 in series
6 - author
8 - author
9 - character: Natasha
Skip - character: Katrina
Mini Challenge:
Spell-out: A, B, C, E, S, N, M, L, J
cheese, fruit, meat, bread, blood, stake, book, dirt, steam, water, cold
white flower on cover
red cover
Completion Post
Book: Die Klaue des Morero by Janika Hoffmann
Date Read: 18th April
Rating: 3-3.5 stars
Uno Cards:
1 - #1 in series
3 - author
5 - character: Igor
6 - character: Simon
Skip - character: Katharina
blue cover
Mini Challenge:
Spell-Out: J, H, D, I, S, K, L (Lisa), A (Alexis)
blue cover
dragons, meat, flowers, fire, chain, eggs
My next book will be
, which will work for a reverse card as both Raven and Kayla have read it.But before I start it, I've planned to breathe through Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today. It's been over a year since a friend lent me the book and it's high time I finally read it! And since I've got nothing else to do at the moment... ;-)
Completion Post
Book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Date Read: 19th April
Rating: 4 stars
Uno Cards:
1 - #1 in series
2 - character: Mike Teavee
6 - character: Veruca Salt
7 - character: Veruca Salt
Mini Challenge:
lots of ingredients for chocolate making
Spell-Out: as above +
A/G (Augustus Gloop)
C/B (Charlie Bucket)
W (Willy Wonka)
J (Grandpa Joe)
R/D (Roald Dahl)
Completion
Storm Glass by Jeff Wheeler
19/4
4*
Reverse: read by uno pixie
1 - 1st in series
3 - Baroness Hugilde
4 - Seraphin Fitzempress
6 - Seraphin Fitzempress
skip - Mrs Pullman
Other letters:
C - Cette, J - Joses, RW - Richard Wells, A - Anna Fitzroy, B - Brant Fitzroy, K - Kinross
Science in word hunt
Read: April 12-April 20
Stars: 3
Definitely in a slump at the moment as well. It's as though everything (all the emotions) have hit at once. In weird unrelated news, I'm moving to the UK once this is all over! It's all so exciting and terrifying at the same time!
But anyway, I finally finished another book. Really had to force this one. It ended up ... okay. This fits one of our color cards and I will at least finish the other two I committed to -- The Great Lenore (pretty fast read) and Anna K (which I'm really excited about so should be a fast read). Hopefully I'll fit a few more in, but it's gonna be a struggle I suspect. My poor, poor tbr this month :)
Color card: 9 blue
0 stand alone
1 Character: Nick Osbourne
2 Character: Tara
3 Character: Halle
6 Character: Sarah
7 Character: Veronica
9 Character: Nick
Skip: Author: Aditi Khorana
Mini:
T (in active): Character: Tara
word: Lemons (funny - It's listed in the ingredients but not the instructions :P) page 5
Haha really? I didn't even notice the lemon thing - so I just had to slot it in for that part of the mini challenge ;-)
Good catch Kayla! Definitely has to go in that part.Hitting a slump seems to be happening to most of us. Probably hit as soon as you had a break from work.
Exciting that you're moving over here! Whereabouts?
Completion
Hot Shot by Karina Halle
4*
21/4
Cards:
3 - title
4 - Fox Nelson
5 - Irene
6 - Sean Nelson
7 - Vernalee
8 - Emily Nelson
9 - Fox Nelson
Skip - Karina Halle (author)
Mini-challenge
letters above + DG Delilah Grant, MN Maverick Nelson, D Dick Nelson,
Sophie wrote: "Good catch Kayla! Definitely has to go in that part.Hitting a slump seems to be happening to most of us. Probably hit as soon as you had a break from work.
Exciting that you're moving over here!..."
I believe Manchester! However, have to be a little flexible just due to the oversea recruiting agencies. I used to live in Lancaster, so I'm more familiar with northern England.
The Perks Of Being A Book Addict
Books mentioned in this topic
Limited Wish (other topics)The Consuming Fire (other topics)
The Veiled Heart (other topics)
The Veiled Heart (other topics)
The Consuming Fire (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Elsa Holland (other topics)Elsa Holland (other topics)
Charles Todd (other topics)
Jenny Han (other topics)
Sophie Jordan (other topics)
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HERE you will find the details on the mini challenge.
Please read it carefully, there is more than one part and it will require team work.
If you have questions after reading the rules, feel free to ask!
And then let us know / what you would like to do :-)
Countdown to start of mini - only books finished AFTER this has gone to 0 can be used for the mini challenge.