Chocolate Chip Cookies

Serves 6

    * 1 1/8 cups of flour (185 grams)
    * 1 teaspoon of baking soda
    * 1/2 teaspoon of salt
    * 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (113.4 grams)
    * 6 tablespoons of light brown sugar
    * 6 tablespoons of white sugar
    * 1 teaspoon of vanilla
    * 1 large egg
    * 6 ounces of chocolate chips - semi-sweet
    * 1/2 cup of nuts - optional

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix large egg with vanilla and set aside.

In a large bowl, blend together softened butter, white sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Mix in the egg and vanilla and blend well. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips (and nuts).

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Cut the cookie dough into 12 even cubes.

Roll each cube into a ball and place on a 14 by 15 inch cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 180°C oven for 17-19 minutes or until golden.

Let the cookies rest 2-3 minutes before removing from the tray onto a cooling rack.

Makes 12 cookies.

Tony Gemignani's Pizza Dough Recipe

Tony Gemignani is a world pizza tossing champion. This is one of his recipes that makes about four 30cm pizzas.

Ingredients:

    * 1  package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
    * 1  cup  warm (32°C) water
    * 1  cup  ice-cold water
    * 1  tablespoon  sugar
    * 1  tablespoon  salt
    * 2  tablespoons  olive oil
    * About 5 1/4 to 5 1/2 cups bread flour

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, with a fork, stir yeast into warm water. Let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

2. In another bowl, mix cold water, sugar, and salt until dissolved; stir in oil.

3. Place 5 1/4 cups flour in a large bowl. Stir the yeast mixture again to blend, then add to flour along with cold-water mixture. Kneed until mixture is smooth and not sticky, 14 to 16 minutes. If dough remains sticky, add 2 more tablespoons flour and beat 2 minutes longer; if still sticky, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons flour and kneed until nonsticky and smooth.

4. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured board; cut in half. With floured hands, pick up one portion of dough; pull opposite edges together toward center and pinch to seal. Repeat all around circumference to form a smooth, tight ball. Place each portion in a 1-gallon plastic bag. Squeeze out air and seal bag, allowing enough room for ball to double. Chill at least 10 hours or up to 2 days.

Boyden Observatory 22-08-2010

The Boyden Observatory just outside Bloemfontein had an open night to show the public what they do there. I attended with some friends to see for myself.

Boyden Observatory was originally founded by Harvard University and placed near Lima, Peru in 1889. In 1927, it was moved to its present location just south of the small resort of Maselspoort. In addition to its role as an astronomical research station, Boyden Observatory also has a Science Education Centre, under the auspices of the University of the Free State and with the support of its donors and the Friends of Boyden.

We watched Saturn, the surface of the moon and Alpha Centauri through the 13" telescope shown below.

13" Telescope

13" Telescope

It was almost unreal seeing the rings of Saturn with my own eyes.

Boyden also houses the 1.5 meter Boyden-UFS reflector (60" Rockefeller). It was one of the telescopes used during the 2010 Pluto Occultation. A lecture was given about this event and I found that very interesting. It makes one proud to know that your country and University is involved in research of this magnitude.

60" Rockefeller

Dome housing the 60" Rockefeller

Pelonomi Trauma

After a long and hard weekend at Pelonomi trauma unit I came to the conclusion that domestic violence and drinking games should qualify for Olympic items if we were to host the Olympic games.

Trauma/Resus Trolley: Always have a Plan-B

Mortuary - Visit Hours

South African Pancakes (Pannekoek)

An integral part of the Afrikaner culture is pannekoek. At church functions, sports days and mostly every social event pannekoek is made and sold. The Afrikaner reading of Scripture states: "For where two or three are gathered together.... there will be pannekoek." It is also regarded as rainy-day food.

Pannekoek

South African pancakes are simmular to crêpes. It's a thin pale pancake with dark spots where the bubbles were.

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Cake Flower
• 10 ml Baking Powder
• 2 ml Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 cup Water
• 1 tablespoon Sunflower Oil

Method: Mix all the ingredients to make a runny batter. More water should be added (up to 1,5 cups) to thin out the mix. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Heat up the pan. Pour some batter into a tilted pan and cover the whole bottom with a thin layer. Turn the pancake once when it comes loose from the sides of the pan. The pancake can be thrown to turn it over. Stack the pancakes in a heated plate. That way they get to soften up.

Pouring the batter

Pancakes can be enjoyed with cinamon-fflavoured sugar or with mince or tuna filling.

Filled Pannekoek

Some notes on making pannekoek:

Frying pan

I use a cheap, thin based, pan for pancakes. Don't worry if the pan wobbles with time. Just keep the base smooth. Non-stick pans don't work as nice.
It  always works better if you use a gas stove. The heat is critical and it sometimes takes a few tries before you get the cooking conditions right.
Making pannekoek is a skill. Don't expect perfect pannekoek from the first try.

Glühwein Recipe

This winter I watched the Bafana-Bafana soccer game with some of my more cultured friends at a really nice restaurant in town. The restaurant served glühwein. Glühwein is a hot beverage made from a classic red wine that is heated to just below boiling point, sweetened and spiced up. It was one of the coldest days of the year and I wanted a hot beverage to heat me up from inside. I liked it so much that I want to share a recipe.

The recipe below is reposted from another blog and I take no credit for it.

"Really the beauty of glühwein is that you can tailor it to your own tastes. I like mine to be rich in spices, however if that is not your cup of tea, then just reduce amount of spices you add. Just take this recipe as a base and then go in the direction that best suites your tastes.

To 4 litres of red wine you need:

• Caster sugar (amount proportional to quality of red wine, the worse the wine the more sugar you need, add it to taste, but start with about 2 cups)
• 6 - 8 Cinnamon sticks
• Whole cloves
• 2 Oranges
• Whole allspice
• 2 cups of orange juice
• If you wish to get your friends and yourself tipsy even more quickly, or just to add a little extra kick, add brandy, sweet sherry or port to the mix. (optional but rather tasty)

Method:

1. Pour the red wine into a large pot and put it on the stove on a very low heat – you must not let the wine boil or the world could end… and that is not something you want to risk...
2. I tend to cut the oranges into slices and then put about 4 cloves into each slice, then put them in with the wine.
3. Break the cinnamon sticks in half or thirds and put them in with the wine as well as 10 of the whole all spice.
4. Add in the sherry or port as well as 2 cups of orange juice.
5. Add in 2 cups of sugar and stir.
6. Stir on and off for about 30 mins to give the spices time to infuse with the wine and for the magic to occur, then taste it, and add more sugar as needed (possible up to 4 or 5 cups more in the wine is really bad).
7. Let it cook/infuse/whatever for about 30 mins more (again, not letting it boil).
8. Drink and be happy

Glühwein-mix is also available and makes for effortless glühwein in minutes. I have tried the mix from gluhwein.net and I can recommend it.

Diving Sites

Just some freshwater dive spots in South Africa.

Wondergat near Mafikeng

Badgat near Badplaas

Brian climbing out of Badgat

Boesmansgat near Danielskuil

Boesmansgat

My family and other animals

Rohan and Nico Grobler

Other animals :-)

Photos taken in Bloemfontein Zoo, 27 September 2006