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Apparently there was an earthquake in my other home city of Bryson City, NC today. It was only a little over 2.0, but quite unusual for that area, I think. I don’t think of North Carolina when I think of earthquakes. The only time I’ve ever felt one, I was in Japan.
This past week, besides work, I’ve done some baking. I made some rye bread in my new bread machine, and it turned out really well. This new machine has a setting for regular cake, so I actually made a loaf-shaped chocolate cake in my bread machine! It turned out really good. We decided to freeze half of it because it’s quite large and there’s only two of us.
Something I learned today: If you buy “vegetable oil,” you’re buying soybean oil. I have developed a sensitivity to soy, including soybean oil and soy lecithin, so I have to read every label. Soy is in EVERYTHING! I had to get soy-free chocolate to make my ganache above, because soy is in most chocolate. Sadly.
I had two more failed attempts at making mayonnaise today. I watch people make it quite easily on the internet, but it’s not working for me. I thought I had it figured out at one point, but I can’t get it to work consistently. Sadly most mayonnaise has soy in it. I refuse to give up, so I went to Sam’s and bought a bunch of eggs. Try, try again.
LAST WEEK ON THE BLOG
On Sunday I reviewed Confronting Power and Chaos by Christine Skarbek. On Wednesday I reviewed The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. On Saturday I provided a spotlight of 2024: Your Year of More.
NEXT WEEK ON THE BLOG
I’m very excited about Iron Flame coming out on Tuesday, so I’m putting up a review of Fourth Wing on Sunday. Fourth Wing and Iron Flame are books One and Two of the Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros. If you haven’t read Fourth Wing, read it. It’s the next big thing and deserves every accolade. I haven’t looked forward to the next book in a series like this since Harry Potter. They are even having some midnight release parties in various locations, just like they did with Harry Potter. Language Warning: More “F” bombs than most books that I read.
Tuesday I will participate in Top Ten Tuesday and share “Book Titles that Would Make Great Newspaper Headlines.”
I will be putting up a review of Kinfolk by Sean Dietrich on Wednesday.
Friday I will participate in Book Blogger Hop if time permits.
This weekend I will review at least two Indie titles for Indie Weekend.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK, EVERYONE!
Your chocolate cake looks wonderful, Bonnie! Try an aoili recipe and just leave out the garlic if you’re not a garlic lover. Good luck! 💕📚
oops . . . I think I spelled aioli wrong earlier. 🤷♀️😂😂
Either way I am having problems getting it to emulsify. I have used a Vitamix and a hand blender. No luck.
The secret is to drizzle the oil in really slowly. 😉
That cake sure looks good, Bonnie! I remember feeling a light earthquake here in Michigan. I thought it was a heavy truck driving by our house, only found out it was a tremor later in the day.
It’s unusual for Michigan too. As far as I know they usually happen out West. The one I felt in Japan was not large but enough for me to stand in the doorway and hang onto the door frame.
That chocolate cake sure looks good! I had no idea that there are some bread machines that can bake cake.
Bread machines have really come a long way, and they are less expensive (Unless you buy Zojirushi, which is quite pricey). Mine was slowly failing, so I bought a new Cuisinart “compact” bread machine which takes up less room and only cost $109. Besides bread and dough settings, it has settings for cake, premade mix, and even jam! You can make jam in your bread machine that is ready to can or put in the fridge. Mind blowing. I haven’t tried that yet.
Delicious looking chocolate cake, Bonnie. Yes, quakes are much more prevalent in the eastern portions of the US these days… although I remember sitting in a Chicago theatre while in college and literally having the earth shake under my feet… that was back in the late 60s. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/why-should-people-eastern-united-states-be-concerned-about-earthquakes
Thanks for the article. It’s interesting.
I had to buy a new bread machine, but I haven’t done that much with it.
I’m kind of forced to. This soy allergy has forced me to make bread from scratch, as there is soy in most commercial bread.
I think that you’re right about how much soy we unknowingly consume in processed foods.
I made mayonnaise once but we didn’t like the taste of it. Good luck!
I found a recipe that is supposed to taste like my favorite, Hellman’s, but so far I can’t get it to emulsify.
I am pleased to see that your chocolate cake came out well in the bread maker. I have made a few cakes in the bread maker but I prefer using my oven. I do bake a lot thought.
Since it’s the two of us, I don’t bake much, but since soy is in everything I find myself baking more.
I didn’t actually realise soy was in so many things.
ooo I love homemade mayonnaise. I stopped making it because raw eggs but I never had any trouble and it is delicious. I always used my Cuisinart which is about 40 years old now. I also have to be very careful with soy. It’s in lots of salad dressings too. I used to use canola oil but now jut use olive oil for everything.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
The canola oil doesn’t bother me. It’s the stuff sold as “vegetable oil” that is really soybean oil. I’m trying again. I can’t seem to get it to emulsify.
I am trying to cut all vegetable oils out of my diet as much as possible. That includes soybean oil and sunflower oil, etc. As much as possible I try to use butter, real butter, or maybe coconut oil, or in some cases olive oil. It’s crazy how many things use vegetable oil these days that you wouldn’t even think of! I hope you can get your mayo figured out. I’m still trying to find a ranch dressing I like that isn’t one I make and that goes bad too quickly. The closest I’ve found has avocado oil, but I don’t like the taste of it. Anyway, I still need to read Fourth Wing! I ordered the fancy new edition coming out, so we’ll see! Oh and that cake looks delicious!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2023/11/05/weekly-wrap-up-142-november-5th-2023/
YUM!
The cake really did turn out well.
That cake looks delicious! My brother also has a soy allergy and I know how difficult it is to find things without soy. I had no idea that vegetable oil contained it too! Have a wonderful week ahead Bonnie.
Yes it’s In everything! It’s crazy.
That chocolate cake looks amazing! Now I want some! I didn’t know soy was in things like chocolate. That’s a bummer. I hope you have success making homemade mayo. Have a wonderful week!
Yum, chocolate cake!
Have fun with your reads!
My Sunday Post: https://www.insamyniac.com/sunday-post/sunday-post-in-december/