My guess is that back in the day that yeast didn’t come in little plastic jars that you kept in the fridge. Every Edmonds recipe using yeast requires compressed yeast – the taupe coloured stuff that’s equally moist and crumbly. Now presumably this was readily available in 1966 and I know that the Centre City New World in Dunedin did occasionally stock it in the chiller but as I live in Auckland this was of minimal use – A 40 hour round trip to pick up yeast? I might be a little crazy but I have my limits.
Here was me imagining that there was no way that I was going to be able to get hold of compressed yeast, that it was yet another outdated 1960’s ingredient and low and behold commercial bakeries still use it today. If you listen very carefully you can hear the sound of my hand hitting my forehead.
Now my next problem was how to acquire some of this yeast, I have no issue with wandering into a bakery and trying to buy some but in my area it can be an issue finding someone in a bakery with a good grasp of English. This is generally not a problem - A custard twist and a steak and cheese pie is easy enough to communicate (I have a rich and varied diet) but “do you use compressed yeast because I’d like to buy some” is a little more challenging. I did only try at two bakeries but it was wholly unsatisfying for both parties.
So what was I to do? I figured I would give it a try at my local Countdown – at any rate what could be the harm in poking my head into the no-go zone behind the plastic curtains, the worst I could end up with was another blank stare. At least that’s what I thought. My request was actually met with a look of semi-horror. Apparently they “aren’t allowed to do that”, that statement however was followed by the question of how much did I need. The yeast was then deposited into a plastic bag, which I was instructed to hide in my handbag and to not present at the checkout or face death at the sharp end of a baguette. I may have embroidered somewhat but at any rate I’m giving a silent round of applause to supermarket workers everywhere disobeying “the man” in order to help the customer. Do I feel a revolution coming on?
Here was me imagining that there was no way that I was going to be able to get hold of compressed yeast, that it was yet another outdated 1960’s ingredient and low and behold commercial bakeries still use it today. If you listen very carefully you can hear the sound of my hand hitting my forehead.
Now my next problem was how to acquire some of this yeast, I have no issue with wandering into a bakery and trying to buy some but in my area it can be an issue finding someone in a bakery with a good grasp of English. This is generally not a problem - A custard twist and a steak and cheese pie is easy enough to communicate (I have a rich and varied diet) but “do you use compressed yeast because I’d like to buy some” is a little more challenging. I did only try at two bakeries but it was wholly unsatisfying for both parties.
So what was I to do? I figured I would give it a try at my local Countdown – at any rate what could be the harm in poking my head into the no-go zone behind the plastic curtains, the worst I could end up with was another blank stare. At least that’s what I thought. My request was actually met with a look of semi-horror. Apparently they “aren’t allowed to do that”, that statement however was followed by the question of how much did I need. The yeast was then deposited into a plastic bag, which I was instructed to hide in my handbag and to not present at the checkout or face death at the sharp end of a baguette. I may have embroidered somewhat but at any rate I’m giving a silent round of applause to supermarket workers everywhere disobeying “the man” in order to help the customer. Do I feel a revolution coming on?
Probably not. I am however fully yeasted and ready to knead.
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