Tag Archives: Machine

Hello Again!!

July 13, 2016 Munchkin

Together.on.Couch

It is really had to start back on writing the Blog after this hiatus; it is actually easier to write everyday as you get into the rhythm of writing. Oh well, let’s try again!!

It’s been raining almost everyday so we have had to resort to indoor activities. We managed to get a new hand-cranked pasta maker that is a lot sturdier than the last one. The last one was a disaster for USD $25.00; it was a Made In China piece of evil terribleness which didn’t survive past the first crank!

“Evil Terribleness!!”

Yum.Yum.Gnome

We’ve been experimenting with all sorts of wonderful and exotic ingredients including cacao butter, chocolate, banana flour and miso with great results. Here are few pictures to show what we have managed to crank. Thank goodness this machine is still going past the 20th crank (yay!!). Gnome said,

“Well. It’s because this one is made in Italy of course!”

Gnome.with.Staff

Pasta Noodle Making:

Cooked Home-Made noodles Chinese Style:

What a delight to have a machine that actually works. This means a lot when you are in a Belize because there is no Amazon 24 hour delivery…if we need anything from overseas, it is usually a 3 to 6 month wait! This one was worth the wait…

Belize, Construction, Farming

Back On Track!

February 15, 2016 Munchkin

New.Munchkin.Gnome.Yellow.Boots

The parts finally arrived for the brush-mower and Gnome has managed to install the new parts. A big Thank-you to Joanna Randolph for sending us the parts. Now, the mower no longer looks like a “bird’s nest” of wires at the back:

The ignition works (so no more hot-wiring) and it all looks very tidy with all the wires in place:

Everything is now working:

And also the chainsaw has been fixed:

The Zazen Duckie pond has been partially filled with the rains from yesterday. Next will be the fencing for the Zen Garden:

And, while Gnome is effortlessly doing all the above like a Super-Hero farmer, I think I will bake some panettone ;)! Received these in the post from Joanna as a belated Birthday present…yay and many thanks!! I may need a few tries before I get a perfect picture to post up on the Blog!

Belize, Food

Sweet Success.

January 7, 2016 Munchkin

Bean.Red.Munchkin.Eating

I spent a bit of time today catching up on cake recipes from the Festive Season for Belize Wild Recipes. I simply had to write about them because this year, for the first time ever, they actually worked out. This is a typical baking disaster…this one was Christmas Spice Cake:

Sesame.Cookie.Disaster

This year, we were made “Apple” Pie from jujube (Chinese wild plum):

The wild chinese plum has a very tart flavour similar to crab apples. These plums are about 1inch (2.5cm) in size.

And Gnome made the pastry with the pasta machine:

Oh, and look at these…

Christmas Chaos Cake:

Spice Cake:

I have also posted up a “Black Cake” recipe which was very kindly given to me by Barbara Nightingale. I haven’t tried the recipe yet…it will have to wait until next Christmas!! And sorry no picture because we polished it all off before we could get a photo!

Amusing, Belize, Farming

Bruk Dong III…With A Vengeance!!

December 30, 2015 Munchkin

Yes, Bruk Dong Monday continues with a vengeance. If you will recall, on Monday all our machinery stopped working including the weed-eater, the chain-saw, the drill bit broke and our make-shift table (crate) broke. After that, we decided that the best course of action was to lay low and do nothing. I even stopped Gnome from mowing the grass. At about 6pm that very day we heard a funny popping sound coming from outside but we could not determine the source of the noise. On Tuesday morning, Gnome smelled some smoke in the air and thought that it was a funny time for some-one to be burning at this time of the year.

It all started to make sense when Gnome went to get out the brush-mower on Tuesday morning. This is what he found:

Look…the wires have all melted!! Gnome explained that the ignition switch finally gave up and in failing caused a short circuit that melted the wire. This has also caused damage to many other parts and in short (ha-ha)…it is not working.

Gnome apologetically said:

“Sorry, I can’t Gnome Rig this one!! We need to bring in the parts from the States!!”

Gnome.Face

And I replied cheekily,

“But Dear, we don’t have 24 hour rush delivery in Belize!”

Munchkin.Funny.Look.Yet.Another

So, no more mowing for a few months until we get the parts. I guess we can finish the house paneling and the duck coup instead! Definitely no shortage of work on the farm…

Amusing, Belize, Farming

Bruk Dong Monday!

December 28, 2015 Munchkin

Glowing.Gnome

What a Monday. This morning, before we had even stepped out of the house, Gnome had said rather aptly (with great humour intended):

“The equipment on the farm works according to the planetary day of the week.”

He started off with the chainsaw and it refused to start. He even cleaned up the spark plug to make sure. In the end, he told me that the Primer Bulb had broken…I have to say that statement meant absolutely nothing to me….

Together.Munchkin.Annoyed

Next, he started using the weed-eater and it kept losing power and cutting out. Gnome finally inspected it and thought that there were carbeurator issues (again that statement just went over my head). When he was trying to open the weed-eater up, the drill bit broke:

On top of all of this, the crate (which was a make-shift “work-top” suddenly broke!

We finally decided at 9am to “call it a day” because everything was done broke. I did not want to tempt fate by asking him to get the brush-mower out! I was even eyeing up the huge pile of laundry and sorely tempted to switch on the washing machine. Having thought about it for a few seconds, I finally said to Gnome,

“Ok Gnome! I think I get the message. Let’s take it easy!”

And so we did…just because of the unfortunate conjunction of the stars!

Belize, Food

Gnome Has Brought Out The Pasta Machine!

December 11, 2015 Munchkin

Together.Eating

What a treat and a carbohydrate lover’s delight to make yummy stuff with a pasta machine. Yes, every now and then we have a total carb blitz and Gnome cranks up his pasta machine.

My contribution is the making of the dough which just takes a couple of minutes. Now, the real Italian way of making pasta is actually to use the machine to “knead” the dough. So, no need for Munchkin to knead…just a quick mix is required:

And the rest is Gnome know-how with the pasta machine (taught diligently by his mother). He has been churning out some lovely fresh pasta and pies!

Pasta machines are actually very versatile because, besides the pasta, you can also make pastries for pies, croissants, puff pastry, filo pastry and whatever else you can imagine. We have been eating pasta (noodles) everyday. Getting bloated and sleepy but still getting the farm work done at the same time. Well, we still have to work off all the calories!

Casa Mascia Apothecary