So fast, so easy

 

Whoa there, Lawyer Guy! I said 'SO' fast, not 'Sew'....

Now that I've established that, here's what I'm, talking about: Butternut Squash and Apple soup (from a New Covent Garden cookbook mentioned previously, and Herby Soda Bread from the Podchef's Gastrocast

Anyone wary of making bread would do worse than to start with soda bread. All it takes is plain flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk. It takes minutes to weigh and mix the ingredients and then it is straight into the oven, no waiting for it to rise. If my knowledge of chemistry serves me correctly, the acid in the buttermilk reacts with the sodium bicarb, producing carbon dioxide, thus rmaking the bread rise when it is baked. I think, therefore, that if one had a severe lack of buttermilk (which is 34p for about 200ml from local supermarkets) that baking powder would do the job (or the sodium bicarb with a little vinegar). Ordinary milk could then be added to mix the dough. Now, I haven't tried thia, since I have easy access to buttermilk, but remember that there would be a slight change of taste .

Anyhow, as you can see, this made a very quick and very tasty lunch. I don't think soda bread keeps very well, but as we always gobble it up, that's not a problem....

PS I know the dried parsley looks fairly unappealing, but I've run out of fresh and tried some dried in sheer desperation. OK, slight exageration, but I wanted a bit of contrast on top of my soup.

PPS - if I've made an a*** out of myself with the chemistry ,try not to be too harsh