What?

You need an EBCB*? Oh, very well. I expect to be appropriately rewarded.

A salutary reminder that disasters can happen in every kitchen ... I bet even Elizabeth David had the odd collapsed soufflé or soggy bottom. S bought some rye flour when I'd asked for ordinary flour, so I decided to try making a sourdough rye loaf. I've never made rye bread of any sort before, so I disregarded the fact that the dough just didn't feel right, and in fact looked more like cake mix. The recipe, obtained from the Interwebs, had pages of positive reviews, so I just carried on regardless.

I wasn't expecting it to be brilliant, but I was still shocked at what came out of the oven. I've spared you the photo (hence the EBCB), but "brick" would be an accurate description. It's the only loaf of bread I've ever made that was actually inedible. So it will go down in the household culinary annals along with Purée Frénétique (a turnip purée, courtesy of Julia Child, that glued your jaws together in one mouthful, made by me in 1981), and bean pizza (a never to be repeated experiment by S in 1984, in which red kidney beans replaced the pizza base). Funny how these things stick in your memory ... I slightly redeemed myself today by making an acceptable sourdough loaf to my usual recipe.

* Emergency Black Cat Blip