Research - It's not just stuff in books ...

... which is why, at the weekend, I was doing what might be called active research. 

I have a rom/com book in very slow progress which involves the heroine starting her own bakery. I have no idea when, if ever, it will be finished, or whether the publisher will like it when it is, but for the moment it's the WIP.  Which is how I came to spend last Saturday in the company of eight other ladies, one brave gentleman, a vast amount of equipment and an inspiring teacher, refreshing my bread making skills.

I have made bread before. I'm not revealing how many decades ago that was, but the techniques and a few new ones that teacher Claire recommended did come back. My first effort was a sad little pancake, but by the time I got to the focaccia I'd got into my stride and was quite proud of the results. We also learned how to turn bread dough into buns, which I was thrilled about, as one of the plot points of the book turns on a bun, as it were.

It was an energetic day, and I came home shattered, but with a fabulous haul of new bread and up-to date experience of the whole process.

The final focaccia. This will be going into the book!

Research - it's not just about stuff you read in books or look up on the Internet. Sometimes it's about learning and actually doing stuff too.