Ah, unemployment
The last time I was unemployed, and in between university years (I'm a student, second year currently after doing two first years, fucked one up spectacularly and pulled through with the second), I taught myself how to use a synthesizer. Given that I grew up playing a guitar, this was interesting. I've now become good enough on a synth that I've been signed up to a nice little indie label and have released two albums through them. If you wanna hear, check my profile.

But that's the boring story. The slightly more interesting story involves my old arch-nemesis, alcohol, who at the time was my best friend, but we had several arguments and stopped talking to each other since then. This was about 2 years ago. Well, summer 2007.

I was drunk. Well, slightly drunk. And bored. Very, very bored. I was hanging out with a few equally unemployed mates, and we had just finished watching a load of horror films. It was about 4 am, and one of the side-effects of alcohol on me is that it kills my boredom threshold completely. Combine this with the fact that I'd been out of work, both of the proper kind and of the student kind, for some time, and we have a recipe for disaster.

So I did what any sane, drunk man would do.

I started baking.

At 4 am.

Drunken baking was fun.

Sober baking was even more fun, I found out the next day.

So I staved off inevitable boredom from unemployment not through a mixture of spending the time pissed out of my gourd and watching daytime TV, but instead baking, often whilst sober, sometimes whilst pissed.

The best thing was, cos I was at home a lot, and cos my sleep schedule was fucked, I often used to put a tray of muffins in to bake, go and crash out on the sofa, sleep for half an hour, wake up, and voila, instant muffins.

Baking is surprisingly good for curing boredom and staving off unemployment depression.
(Ghost Atreides enjoying incontestable health benefits on, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 11:47, 9 replies)

what an uplifting story.
I thought you were going to say you went out and smashed some bins up.

Thank you!
( valoukh newsgash.wordpress.com, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 12:41, closed)

Haha
Not likely, the only time I've smashed a bin up was when I was at uni, completely pissed off my head and thought it would be fun.

Suffice to say, it wasn't.

Then again, it was probably a bad idea to beat up a metal bin.
(Ghost Atreides enjoying incontestable health benefits on, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 14:47, closed)

I should probably try this.

( idonthaveafunnynickname Drink-Aware? Sure. I'm aware I want another drink., Fri 3 Apr 2009, 13:45, closed)

Do it
It's awesome. And relieves stress as well.
(Ghost Atreides enjoying incontestable health benefits on, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 14:46, closed)

my culinary skills have also improved
In fact I've just made up another batch of Mince-Pie Flavoured Flapjack.

The first batch was denser than depleted uranium, but with only half the flavour.

This one is allright.

I expect my next batch to cure disease (assuming I can find any more jars of mince-pie filling in the clearance shelves of local shops).

www.flapjackrecipe.com/ has some basic recipies, which are quite error-tolerant. Just remember to be cautious on the cooking times - it's easier to check it and give it a few more minutes, than to un-burn it.
(The Incredible Sulk Finally remembered his password on, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 15:58, closed)

Mmm
Some of the flapjacks look good on there. Especially the toffee one. Might have to do that fairly soon.
(Ghost Atreides enjoying incontestable health benefits on, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 19:54, closed)

I found toffee disappointing
But then, it's hard to get any flavour to really shine - I don't add any salt, which won't help the taste escape.

Also, I think I used an inferior brand of toffee sauce, that was just out of date.

Strawberry was not bad though, adding ~100g of low sugar strawberry jam into the mix.

Raspbery, using tinned raspberries, was a mild let-down. Might have been better with a few more minutes in the oven.

Mixed fruit was interesting. The various vine fruit added tang, but burnt a little at the surface. The occasional piece of citrus zezt was nice.
(The Incredible Sulk Finally remembered his password on, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 20:04, closed)

Mince pie filling:
I make my own -

A load of raisins/sultanas/currants whatever
Some orange peel (optional)
Some lemon peel (optional)
Chopped up cherries (optional)
Crushed almonds (optional)
A massive heap of muscovado sugar
A big dollop of mixed spice
Suet (depending on how many currants etc you use one pack of Atora should be enough, unless you're making enough to feed an army)
An entire bottle of brandy (doesn't need to be good or expensive, and if you want adventure you can try with other things - red wine mince is pretty nice)

So. You take all of this, and bung it in a big bowl. Leave it overnight so that the currants (or whatever) can absorb the booze and get nice and juicy and fat. If you have the ratio of stuffs right, it should basically look like a bowl of vomit with maggots floating in it (the suet) at this point.

Next, you transfer everything into a big pan. Add some water (optionally infused with more brandy and cinnamon). Boil and boil until the suet melts. At this point, you'll have a pale brown gloopy mess that smells amazing, but looks revolting. You'll need to conquer your fears and taste it. If the raisins (or whatever) taste mince-y, then it's ready.

Now for the vaguely tricky part.

Get the big bowl that you had earlier back in action. Put a colander/sieve/giant strainer over it. Slowly pour the gloopy mess into the sieve, waiting patiently as the brown suety gunge slowly makes its way through the holes. The pile of glistening, gloopy currants remaing will still look pretty nasty. Don't fret, however. Empty the brown gunge from the big bowl, but not down the sink - the suet will re-congeal, blocking your pipes and causing you to accidentally flood the apartment below yours (true story). Dispose of the by-products responsibly.

Now, put the curranty stuff into the bowl and let it cool down.

Mince pie stuffing!
(judeski walked on water and ran through fire, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 23:27, closed)

Thanks for the advice -
- but I think I'll stick with the faster, easier, cleaner, and cheaper solution. It's only for family snacking, so the brandy alone would push the budget.
(The Incredible Sulk Finally remembered his password on, Sat 4 Apr 2009, 12:52, closed)