I don't claim to be a good cook or even a fair cook, but I can read. Since I'm not a very good cook, I follow the directions very well-I'm one of those that precisely measures my ingredients, double checks the quantity, does exactly what it says. However, every time I try to make some type of biscuit, they do NOT turn out. The British don't have what we call biscuits-biscuits to them are cookies. Not even KFC or McDonald's have biscuits-that's the only thing I like from KFC (I don't like their chicken) and a plain biscuit is only thing I will eat from McDonald's for breakfast, but they don't have them-they use McMuffins for everything and KFC only has fries, excuse me, I mean chips for a side. The closest thing they have are scones-I bought some-melted a little butter on them, set them in the oven to warm up. I was so excited because they LOOK like biscuits, however, they do not taste like them. I was very disappointed, but not really surprised. I was just hoping...
Anyway, I brought with me from the States some packages of buttermilk biscuits-just preheat the oven (check), add a cup of milk (check), mix and drop on lightly greased cookie sheet (check), bake for 8-10 minutes. I did exactly what it said-did I get buttermilk biscuits?? Nope. I got those odd shaped balls you seen in the picture-they're supposed to look like the ones on the package. They didn't taste very good-the tops were edible, but they were really dried out. And that, I blame the oven for. They have "fan assisted" ovens here-there is a fan constantly blowing supposedly to circulate the hot air to cook the food faster. I have to laugh at that-it always takes TWICE as long whenever I'm cooking something. It says 15 minutes for my banana nut muffins-30 minutes later they're almost done.
I have been cooking more these past 5 month than I've cooked my entire life. I'm starting to enjoy it-I think I'll enjoy cooking more back in States. The oven (it's also gas) and I do not get along. I've heard gas ovens are easier, but not for me. That flame and I are often at odds-I turn it down, it goes off. I turn it up, it tries to catch me on fire.
I'm including a few pictures of Leeds. The round building is the Corn Exchange where I've taken some of my jewelry that I made and sold it. I did really well-I want to bring over Finis Opus stuff in July to sell. The other pictures are of the Briggate-popular shopping area. The horses that live near me have some cute ponies, so I'm including a picture of them also.
