Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#224, #225, #226)...and a healthy bread recipe made with 100% whole wheat flour

 

#224 (top photo)...Another bike. I was doing work on my winter bike (the Mule) and was having difficulty removing the crank and bottom bracket. It was already mostly taken apart and un-ridable (sp?) and I had to take it to the local bike shop for some professional advice (i.e, help). I could have, of course, walked the bike but it's a lot more fun to tow it. Another time when I was doing this a guy yelled to me as I passed, "Hey buddy, it looks like your bike is having sex.

#225 (middle photo)...A plastic soda crate containing a plastic bucket containing raw whole wheat bread dough.

#226 (bottom photo)...Three loaves of whole wheat bread, an empty plastic bucket, a soda crate, a newspaper, a pint of chopped beef (for the pugs), a bottle of water, a 14" piece of steel pipe, an 18" piece of PVC pipe, and a couple new bicycle repair tools.

Now what, you may be wondering, does a bread recipe have anything to do with a post regarding Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike? It's because, as is often the case, I made bread dough at home and carried it to work with me on my bike, baked it, and carried it home at the end of the day.  At any rate, here's the recipe that I used; it's delicious and easy...and surprisingly light considering it's made with 100% whole wheat flour. If you'd like additional directions and more explicit photos click here and here.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

Makes 2 loaves

6 cups whole wheat flour, divided

2 1/4 cups water, divided

1 cup plain yogurt

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

3 teaspoons instant yeast, divided

Separate the ingredients in two bowls using this ratio: In one bowl combine 4 cups of flour, 1 1/4 cups water, along with all of the yogurt and salt. Stir it just until combined; cover with plastic wrap and set aside. In a second bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups flour and 1 cup water with the olive oil, honey, and 2 teaspoons of yeast. Stir it just until combined; cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Allow the bowls to rest for at least an hour, but up to 12.

Add the remaining teaspoon yeast and the contents of both bowls to an upright electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Knead the dough on medium speed for about 8 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for one hour.

Transfer the dough to a work surface, cut it into two pieces, gently shape it into loaves, and place the loaves into oiled loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 45 minutes. Preheat an oven to 400F.

Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on. Remove the bread from their pans and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Planning for Winter, Prepping the Mule, its New Chain Guard, and How I got it

First of all...no it is not snowing here in Western New York, at least not yet. The above photo is of my bike I fondly call the "Mule;" the photo was taken last winter. It's an old Trek that I purchased at a flea market for $40.00 and made some adjustments and have ridden it for the past 4 winters...it is truly a good ride and  a rugged piece of machinery. Anyhow, like many bikes sold in America it does not come with a chain guard...I can't tell you how many pairs of pants are either stained or ripped because of this. Here's a picture of the crank up close.

After tearing the pant leg of a brand new pair of jeans last spring I decided to do an internet search for universal chain guard. I came across one that looked good by a company out of Germany called SKS. I originally found it at this page on Amazon and at closer inspection I saw that it was sold through Niagara Cycle Works, which after Googling it I found it was only about 30 miles from my house, and they, in fact, had the same item listed on their website. So on a cold, rainy, and slushy day last spring I drove my vehicle to their shop. When I asked for the item the sales person told me they didn't have it. Will you be getting it in? I inquired. No, he replied, we don't actually carry it. But it's listed that you do on your website. To get to the point, he told me that many of the items listed they don't actually carry at their store, they are at their "virtual warehouse." Huh? He told me I would be better off just ordering it through them on Amazon because if I didn't like it I could return it through Amazon but If I ordered it through the store directly it would be un-returnable. I say again, huh? At any rate, I put off ordering it through the summer but  as the cold months are encrouching I decided to prep the Mule for the winter and I finally got around to ordering it. It arrived today and it looks pretty good (pictured below). I haven't installed it yet because I lack the neccessary crank tool to do so (I'll visit the bike shop tomorrow). The guard comes in a few sizes and I ordered the larger size (I figure it would be easier to modify a larger one if it didn't fit perfectly than try to stretch a smaller size)...anyhow it looks like it'll fit pretty well. I'll post pictures after it's installed. I'd be interested to know how other bikers out there in the blogesphere deal with a guardless chain, or if they've used this item. And also...do you ride through the winter :)

Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#223), a recipe link, and a thought or two.

An aluminum foil container holding two portions of roast pork-loin stuffed with dried apricots and figs and glazed with orange and ginger (I don't have a typed recipe for this but if you're looking for something similar, click here or here).

Other than a few brief respites it has been raining and raining and raining. For days it has been raining. Did I mention it's been raining? And rain is the only element that I truly do not like to ride or walk in; I never thought I'd say this, but I'd take snow over this (we'll see if I have this same sentiment two months from now).  Elijah prayed for the rain to cease and it didn't rain for three and a half years, now I do not want this of course...but some nice autumn sunshine--maybe even an Indian Summer--sure would be nice.

After The Rain...and how sometimes I'd rather use my feet

I like walking; I always have. This may seem like an obvious statement because it's something we have to do on a daily basis, but it's not. Let me qualify this by saying I'd rather, if distance permits, walk than ride in a car. Sometimes I'd even rather walk than ride my bike. Now I know some of my bike riding readers are thinking, "hey...whoa Joe...you'd rather walk than ride a bike?" Well, yes, sometimes I do, but not always...what, after all, is a more organic form of transportation than putting one foot in front of the other?

For the sake of sounding hokey I'll even go so far as to say walking, to me, can be a form of meditation in motion. When I walk my mind can wander or stay as focused as I like. Tonight was a perfect example of this. It had been raining all day and other than my short 3/4 mile bike-commute to work I had not been outside at all. Then this evening, as if someone had shut off a faucet, the rain came to an abrupt stop. So I went out for an evening walk.

I walk distances less than I used to these days, because of time restraints and the pains in my feet that middle age provides. But when I walk I am, as I was tonight, often grateful. For these minor pains that I have are a reminder that not everyone has the luxury of walking, and that I am truly fortunate to be able to do so. This hit home a few years ago when I had severe back problems and for a while was not able to walk normally or if at all...I thought at the time I'd never ride a bike again (you can read more about this at an earlier post titled,  The Plank of Gratefulness).

I've often said, and still stand by these words, that a person sees so much more when riding a bike compared to in a car. Well when you walk things are slowed down to the tenth degree. I tend to notice trees and houses and people that I may not have if on a bike and concentrating on traffic (in a car these things wouldn't even exist to me).

It goes without saying that walking is an excellent exercise for your physical health (click here and here) but many don't realize that it also offers many benefits for your mental, spiritual, and psychological health (click here and here). Sometimes, when I'm feeling a little melancholy or sluggish a walk really changes things...it did tonight.

Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#222)

 

4 pounds of dog food, 3 liters of red win, a paint tray, 4 paint brushes, A quart of milk, 2 pints of ice cream, a quart of juice, 4 "c" batteries, 2 9-volt batteries, a DVD, and 200 paper bathroom cups. 

Human Powered Pickup Truck

Now this is really cool...I came across it at Cargo Bike Gallery. It reminds me of images I've seen of Chinese cargo trikes. And at about $3000 (U.S.) it seems like a pretty good machine. It seems perfect for a person with a small business (that didn't have to travel far). It's made by Main Street Pedicabs. The below video is informative, if not a little boring...watch a few minutes of it if you want to see a similar version of this trike in action. At the very least it is refreshing and inspiring to see more and more load carrying bikes (and trikes) being built.

Whole Wheat Penne Rigate with Pork Ragu

This is a really simple variation of classic Ragu alla Bolognese. And, of course, by ragu I mean stew (ragout in French) not the tomato sauce by the same name. Pork is the best meat for this dish but it can easily be substituted with beef, chicken, or even lamb. I tossed the sauce with whole wheat penne rigate, but again a multitude of pasta varieties or shapes can be substituted. The process to make the sauce is a simple one and this is how to do it.

Brown the meat in olive oil in a large skillet, then transfer to a sauce pot. In the same pan add minced onions and peppers (and carrots if you like); this makes a sort of Italian sofrito (or French mirepoix). When the vegetables begin to brown add minced garlic and other seasonings (I used fennel seed--goes great with pork--and crushed hot pepper).

De-glaze the pan with red wine and transfer everything to the pot with the browned pork. Add your favorite tomato sauce (even Ragu if you like; I still had a pint of homemade sauce in the freezer). Bring it to a simmer and cook it until the meat is rtender and the sauce is flavorful.

Season the sauce with salt, and just before serving add a good handful of fresh basil (or a couple teaspoons of dried basil). Toss with pasta and cheese.

Fish Bikes

The above photo was taken by a friend on a recent trip to San Fransisco (thanks Monique!). It's a pretty exquisite piece of machinery/art, is it not? I couldn't help thinking how you'd have to have a certain strong constitution to ride a bike that was made to resemble a big fish on wheels. What gives, I wondered? Is it a publicity bike for a fish store? A band? I'll probably never know. But I also began to wonder who else would ride such a bike so I Googled fish bike and was somewhat surprised...it seems there are plenty of fish in the sea, err...street. Out of curiosity, if there are any San Franciscans (or anyone else for that matter) reading this blog and you know the meaning behind any of these fish bikes I'd love to know.

Image found here.

 Image found here.

Image found here.

First of the Season

OK, I can't be in denial any longer...well I can, I suppose, about many things, but not about the seasonal change. Today I lit my wood stove for the first time this season...for about an hour or so, just to take the chill off the house. Still haven't turned on the furnace though. The summer seemed so short so I've been in denial about the coming cold months...and in Western New York that is something serious to consider. But I have to admit it sure did seem cozy with the stove going.

Challah Bread French Toast with Caramelized Pear and Blueberry Syrup

This morning I made French Toast (pain purdu for my Francophile readers) for my teenage son; his favorite breakfast of all time. This is a variation of a recipe I've made for him before (click here for additional and more explicit pictures). This time I used challah bread which I carried home on my bike yesterday. I made the syrup using fruit juice, a little sugar, blueberries which I had in the freezer, and some fresh pear. Did he like it...well, you'll see in the last photo. For a very basic recipe for French Toast from the Food Network, click here. To see better step-by-step directions for making the syrup from a previous post, click here.

Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#221)...and a recipe

A freshly baked loaf of challah bread. Here's a simple and delicious recipe.

Challah Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1/3 cup water               
1/3 cup milk
  1 package active dry yeast
  1 tablespoon sugar
  3 cups bread flour  
  2 large eggs
  3 tablespoon melted butter
  2 teaspoons kosher salt
  1 tablespoon cornmeal
  1 lightly beaten egg
  1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Combine the water, milk, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of flour; stir to form a batter. Allow to ferment for 1 hour. Stir in the 2 large eggs and melted butter, then add the remaining 2 cups of flour along with the salt. Mix then knead the dough for 10-12 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl at room temperature, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to ferment for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into 10-inch lengths and braid the bread. Place the braided loaf onto a baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal. Cover the bread loosely with a towel and allow it to rise for about an hour. Pre-heat an oven to 350F.

Brush the bread with the beaten egg and sprinkle it with poppy seeds. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes. Remove the Challah from the oven and place it on a wire rack or towel to cool before slicing.