Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[zqtchas]

40 minutes ago, Daveywavey70 said:

 

Wow Emtb, you were so lucky to see it back then. I Was looking at Kenya but think that will be for another trip. I Was drawn more to the SA side to tick several boxes such as Vic Falls, The blue train and the Zambezi Queen. There are lots of opportunities for game watching on the land based part of the trip and in different environments and every port (except Maputo which sadly is only a 6 hour call and would have been a great opportunity to visit the Kruger) has full day game drives available.

 

BTW, anyone else having trouble on the boards today? Logged in but not logged in.

 

 

we did a bush plane safari of 3 different camps in Botswana several years back, ac in permanent tents.

overnited in j'burg, stayed in a place overlooking the zoo.

have also been having  trouble with log in - for quite awhile.

Edited November 4, 2021 by zqtchas

[zqtchas]

[Daveywavey70]

We’ve had some great murmurations over here this week as the starlings are arriving for the winter. 
 

 

 

[Fletcher]

Just my tuppence worth - South Africa has perhaps the most luxurious safari lodges (some call them spafaris) but the Kruger scenery is dull and it's all a bit like a private zoo, like Longleat with mosquitos.  Botswana is perhaps the best country for a genuine wildlife experience followed by Tanzania and Kenya.  Timing is all important - there are rainy seasons, dry seasons, times when wildlife is prolific and when it's hard to see, and then there's the great migration which is literally a movable feast, largely confined to Tan/Ken.  Personally, if you want to see African wildlife I wouldn't ever choose a cruise.  

 

[drron29]

On 11/4/2021 at 1:18 AM, Daveywavey70 said:

 

Many thanks for the tips JP, it gives me a lot more to go on. The pics are fantastic. Looks like you had an amazing time.

After our Explorer West Africa cruise we spent some time in Botswana.Absolutely fabulous and thoroughly recommended.

(4) A Botswanan Adventure. | Australian Frequent Flyer

 

Then after our Cape to Cape cruise on the Explorer we spent some time in Uganda to see the gorillas.Loved it.After that spent some time in a South African camp near the Botswanan border.Preferred Botswana but it was still very enjoyable.

(4) Africa.Jungle and veldt by Caravan and Sedan chair. | Australian Frequent Flyer

 

[jpalbny]

Botswana is getting high on our list. We did the gorilla trek from the Rwandan side in 2015. An incredible experience. 

[Daveywavey70]

Just to be clear, the cruise isn’t supposed to be the highlight of my game experience in Africa. The cruise is there because I’m desperate to be bobbing about on a boat, possibly on a line new to me that I’d love to try. Yes there are many opportunities for game drives on the cruise but I believe that my best game experiences will be on the land based part of the tour around the Botswana/ Chobe / Vic falls area. DrRon, thank you for sharing, that looks like a life changing experience. 

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[spinnaker2]

[zqtchas]

[mysty]

[spinnaker2]

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[Lois R]

Good morning, just thought I would say hello to all of you and hope everyone is doing well.

 

[TrulyBlonde]

Happy Sunday Coolers.

The day has arrived and I took my first stab at making Jeff's baguettes. Perfectly crunchy outside and soft inside. However, I need to work on getting the shape correct. They are a bit uneven in size and missing that cute little point on the ends. A work in progress 🙂

 

[silkismom]

They look great to me.

[TrulyBlonde]

6 minutes ago, silkismom said:

They look great to me.

Thanks. The one on the end looks like a club to smack my husband with if he gets out of line 😉

[spinnaker2]

[silkismom]

Or a cat chooses to rub against your legs. 

[UKCruiseJeff]

6 hours ago, TrulyBlonde said:

Happy Sunday Coolers.

The day has arrived and I took my first stab at making Jeff's baguettes. Perfectly crunchy outside and soft inside. However, I need to work on getting the shape correct. They are a bit uneven in size and missing that cute little point on the ends. A work in progress 🙂

 

 

 

They look wonderful.

 

I beg you not to try and improve their shape.  They look so natural and home made and the less you handle them the better the taste and crumb texture. 

 

The two elements that improve taste and crumb texture is simply water and time.  Using those tins enable you to be really bold with hydration.  All of my current bread and pizza dough is at 80 - 85%  and risen over two or three days with a little less yeast. and it improves the textue and taste. 

 

Also if you use the simple scraper method of "kneading" in the bowl that I suggested with that level of hydration you will find the following morning that the dough would have really expanded and have a lovely silky wet sheen to it.  That combined with trying hard not handle it when placing it in a tin  and then placing it in a long heated  oven and then spraying the bread with a mist of water and adding a little water to the steak griddle - slammming the oven door - will add a lovely sheen and improve the crust bite. 

 

I loved seeing that bread.

 

This is some of mine over the last few days …. I “half bake” some for the cupboard if  we don’t need  it straight away.

 

I have found a wider tin that has been wonderful.  Highly hydrated bread but suitable for sandwiches.  The onion loaf at the bottom was made using the tin.. and the second piccy down with the stubbier loaves.

 

Edited November 8, 2021 by UKCruiseJeff

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[TrulyBlonde]

11 hours ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two elements that improve taste and crumb texture is simply water and time.  Using those tins enable you to be really bold with hydration.  All of my current bread and pizza dough is at 80 - 85%  and risen over two or three days with a little less yeast. and it improves the textue and taste. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff, thanks for the feedback. Colorado is a very dry climate, especially the high altitude where I live. I do think due to the dryness, I must add more water to my mixture. They are really quite easy to make, although time consuming due to the rest times, etc.

Next, week I may try to add some raisins and nuts to my mixture. Your baguettes are perfection and I am enjoying my new at home bakery, due to you. 

Much obliged :))

[UKCruiseJeff]

55 minutes ago, TrulyBlonde said:

Jeff, thanks for the feedback. Colorado is a very dry climate, especially the high altitude where I live. I do think due to the dryness, I must add more water to my mixture. They are really quite easy to make, although time consuming due to the rest times, etc.

Next, week I may try to add some raisins and nuts to my mixture. Your baguettes are perfection and I am enjoying my new at home bakery, due to you. 

Much obliged :))

 

Thanks,

 

If you are bold and really add that water, you will find that there will be a silkiness to the surface when you return to it from say around 8 hours plus.  You crust seemed to me a little dry - perhaps your hydrating at around 65%?  This is the average  of most recipes and it’s a shame. 

 

  I believe it is that silkiness that gives that wonderful silkiness to both the crust and the crumb.  It’s not easy to photograph but I’m hoping you can see what I mean from these pics.

 

As you know it’s patience rather than activity that takes the time so another tin means you can  have a a couple going each day for little effort. Make it a simple routine for a few moments of really quiet time with your flour.  If you do give it longer slower rise then don’t add rye flour which I only suggest that it adds a touch more depth and flavour which isn’t required if you allow long slow fermentation.

 

Once you see that glow and silky glisten to the dough  you know that you have really cracked it and you are in for a wonderful treat.  It should appear by the morning of bake day. 

 

My current obsession has been fed by a non-English- speaking passionate man posting wonderful youtubes  on   man’oushe za’tar which seems to be the favoured Lebanese flatbread.  But that is another story. I can bore for England about bread!

 

 

Edited November 8, 2021 by UKCruiseJeff

[zqtchas]