Not so Hungry Games-1 of an unkown many

After finishing Dance with Dragons, which seemed more like Neverending Story, I asked my best friend for something lighter to read, something mesmerizing, that could get me all hooked up in the reading, and she suggested The Hunger Games, by Suzzane Collins.

She was absolutely right. I took my Kindle everywhere, even to work (and it’s not like I work in an office, no, I work in a fishmonger!), because I couldn’t stop reading, and every moment I could take the e-reader out, I did. I read all three books in a bit more than a week. I was missing so much the feeling of being absorbed by the story, like I did with Harry Potter or the first three books of A Song of Ice and Fire, that I let myself fall into Panem and read avidly the misadventures of Katniss and Peeta, and everyone else.

As a foodie, I was shocked by the importance the food has in the story, how she describes flavours and textures and never ceases to enumerate all the dishes and meals. And as a chef...I just had to give it a go.

With the movie premiere here in Spain, I decided it to re-read the books and inspire myself into a thematic dinner. So, the only thing left was decide what to make. I went for a first book menu, and I wanted to share it with you, because it wasn’t just fun to eat it, it was amazing to plan it and also to cook it. But you all know I’m a sucker for challenges, specially culinary ones.

As it will be a long way (because, my gods, there are so many dishes I want to try!!), I’ll make different posts with the recipes, as I don’t want to overload you all with information, as it seems I can’t keep myself stuck to the facts and I’ll end up writing a lot of stupid details and personal opinions about absolutely everything.

Let’s start with the first thing that comes with the story, bread.

PEETA’S BREAD

(Not the same thing as Pita Bread...talking about that, fancy name for your kid, owning a bakery and all that jazz...parents at books...just crazy if you ask me, don’t even let me get started with Remus Lupin parents, I mean, seriously?)

I choose it because is the one Peeta gives to Katniss when she’s starving after her dad’s death, and just shows how sweet he is.

“We ate an entire loaf, slice by slice. It was a good hearty bread, filled with raisins and nuts”- The Hunger Games, chapter 2

Ingredients:

560 gr strong white flour (have at hand the bag, as you might need to add some more)

125 gr toasted walnuts

125 gr raisins (not important if they’re sultanas or moscatel)

25 gr fresh yeast

380 mL warm milk (it’s better if it’s whole, but if you have semi-skimmed or skimmed, it’s alright)

1 squidge of honey

1 generous tsp of salt

About 12 ice cubes

Procedure:

- Disolve the yeast in the warm milk (make sure it’s lukewarm and not hot, because it’ll kill the yeast and you’ll end up with a tough mess) and add the squidge of honey.

If you’re a lucky one and likes to play with toys, like I do, you might have a stand mixer, if you’re not...welcome to the bakers hard work, darling!

Stand Mixer:

- With the hook attachment, mix in the dry ingredients and add the milk mixture, mix it first on low speed, as you don’t want the flour coming up in your face.

- Increase the speed to medium and keep it going for as long as it needs for the dough to stop sticking to the bowl.

- Flour lightly a clean and dry work surface and empty your bowl there.

- With just one hand (your dominant one), because you want to keep one hand clean, work the dough, until you press a floured finger into the dough, and it springs back almost all the way.

By Hand (or why bakers have such beautiful arms):

- Mix your dry ingredients in a big bowl.

- Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the milk mixture.

- With just two fingers, and making swirling movements, combine the ingredients, until you end with a sticky dough.

- Flour lightly a clean and dry work surface and empty your bowl. Flour the dough surface and start kneading it. It will be quite sticky for a while, but be patient, as you keep working the dough, the gluten contained in the flour develops and “absorbs” the humidity. It will take about fifteen minutes of hard work.

- Knead it until you press your floured finger into the dough and springs back almost all the way.

Common process (aw, don’t make that face, kitchen geek, getting your hands dirty is part to enjoy the bread making):

- Put it in an oiled bowl and cover it loosely but airtight with clingfilm (remember: You must cover babies, doughs and old people, for them not to be cold). Leave it to rise in a warm place for about an hour (it should double its volume)

- Now you have some lovely time to sit on your hands or start cleaning all the stuff you used.

- Oil your baking tray, or maybe two loaf tins and flour lightly your work surface.

- Uncover your dough and put it on your work surface. Push it firmly but gently until you knock out most of the air.

- Divide your dough in two if your going to use the loaf tins, or in as many pieces as guests you have. If you are quite picky, you can weight your dough and do it precisely, I’d just eyeball it.

- Knead each piece of dough and place it in the loaf tin or in the baking tray. Once you have them all, cover them and let them rise. Yes, again.

- Put a baking tray at the bottom of your oven and preheat it at 200ºC.

- Just before putting the bread in the oven, drop the ice cubes on the bottom tray. It’ll create a humid environment for your bread to be able to develop itself and rise beautifully.

- Make a cross with a sharp knife in your buns or a slash in your loaves and put them into the oven, around your medium rack, but closer to the bottom.

- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until its golden brown.

- Carefully, using a dry teatowel or an oven glove, remove the nearest bun and tap the base, if it sounds hollow, it’s done!! Yaaaaay! . If not, leave it for another five minutes and check again.

- Leave it to cool for about ten minutes and eat it viciously.

Paco's mockingjay and a lovely bun

I hope it seems as easy as it is and you give it a go. I’m sure you’d enjoy doing it as much as eating it later. Making bread is not easy, and can go wrong, but don’t worry, sometimes bad bread happens to good people.

See you soon!