We often read in the news about people who have stolen money from the business they work for but we never hear about people who steal time from their employer. I’m always amazed about how much productivity is lost to employees using work time for other things. Take for example the following. Dave bought a machine that came with 5 days of training. To me that meant someone would be there at 8 to train the engineer until 5. These are our working hours. Our staff get 2 fifteen minute tea breaks and a half hour for lunch. The technician arrived at 9 and took a smoke break straight away. Followed by tea at 10 with the staff, and another smoke break. Before lunch at 12 he had another smoke break. By the time 4pm came (when he left) he had probably had 8 cigarettes. At 10 minutes per break it meant his productivity hours were cut by 80 minutes. Taking the 2 hours off his time at us, he was being paid over 3 hours more than he worked. In a normal working week he basically takes a day off to smoke. In another example there is a company which allows an hour for lunch. One staff member has breakfast at work when she arrives at 8, the time she is meant to start working. She has a coffee break mid morning, eats lunch at work and then takes her hour lunch break. She probably spends an hour a day not working by having her meals at work. That equates to half a day of paid time per week. This to me is theft! If you are short of time, and want to bake bread, soda bread is the way to go. There is no yeast and therefore no proving time is needed.
Wholemeal Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 250 g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 250 g wholemeal flour
- 20 g baking powder
- 5 mls salt
- 75 g butter
- 270 mls milk
- 30 mls buttermilk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200° Celsius
- Place all of the ingredients into a stand mixer bowl
- Using a dough hook, knead until just combined
- Turn onto a floured surface and bring together
- Shape into a ball
- Flatten slightly and cut a cross onto the top
- Place onto a lined baking tray and dust with flour
- Bake for 35 minutes
- Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
What I blogged April 20:
- one year ago – Mirage
- three years ago – Lemon Grass
- four years ago – Pan Fried Hake
Great! I’ve never tried this kind of bread! Sounds delicious!
I wish you a wonderful week, dear!
Thanks Marcela 🙂
This soda bread looks fantastic and easy. I was actually watching a show on t.v. the other day about this family eating soda bread, but it gave no recipe! Totally agree about the theft of time. When I use to work at a t.v. station (non-smoker here) the smokers took 15 minute breaks every hour or two and got to stand outside and enjoy the fresh air (well, as fresh as smokey air can be). But if I just went outside for a few minutes to enjoy the sun, it would have been considered stealing. So odd!
Weird that taking a sun break is worse than taking a smoke break!
That would drive me crazy!!! At my job I have no set hours, but I often work well longer than what is expected.
To me, work means getting stuff done 🙂
Hehe, great analogy, Tandy! Also love the look of the bread – soft and moist 🙂
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
P.S. Would love to see you visit our site when you have time 😉
Thanks for the comment, and I see I popped in a few weeks ago after your last visit here 🙂
The soda bread recipe looks deliciously easy! And oh, I do agree re: productivity, Tandy… it actually struck me when I was in Japan recently, that there is no one mingling outside of office buildings during working hours – no coffee breaks, smoking breaks, running errands etc (things I’ve been guilty of myself at some point, I’m sure) – everyone is focused on their work 9-5 and then leaves promptly on the dot!
I would not mind having employees leaving on time if they worked that well. Thanks for the visit 🙂
I like the idea of baking bread without yeast!
It is often such a good standby Bianca 🙂
simply damn delicious for starting a day….
Thank you Dedy 🙂
I’ve never made soda bread before – it looks tasty.
It is so easy to make and perfect for when you are busy 🙂
I love making soda bread, it’s so quick compared to other breads and so good fresh from the oven!
It is indeed!
This was always a standby for my mother when I was growing up – living out in the country soda bread and scones were regular baked goods.
I love both Rachel 🙂
I haven’t worked in an office for a few years, but when I did, there was so much time wasted. I’m glad to work from home now and get to make the most of my time. 🙂
That to me is the best way to work 🙂
I have no idea why but I always assumed soda bread would include soda water. Thanks for teaching me something new. I wonder if I could use more buttermilk in the recipe. I find baking with buttermilk always makes the end result softer and lighter. xx
It seems strange that there is no soda water in the bread and of course you can use more buttermilk 🙂
I love freshly baked soda bread. I’ve never been able to time waste that much mainly because I have had so much work to do!
That’s the same for me as well 🙂
This bread is just perfect. I love it. I have to send this recipe to my mom, she makes bread, as I will not lol. Have a wonderful trip Tandy :). Enjoy yourself and have a great time.
Kay of Pure & Complex
http://www.purecomplex.com
Hopefully she makes the load for you Kay!
I always meant to try to make my own, but never got a chance. Soda breads is one of my favorite, love the recipe.
Thanks Katalina!
I love baking bread, but never baked a soda bread…yes, it is nice being able have fresh bread in such a short time…
Have a great week Tandy 🙂
Always good to have a recipe like this to hand 🙂
You make some really valid points!!! So much of this kind of ‘theft’ happens in offices especially. Then there is the theft of time from and employer that I always had working hospitality 😉 Thanks for this soda bread recipe – I make no knead bread every other day so this might get a run this winter for something to whip up with some soup….I can hardly wait!! Have a great trip, very jealous!!!
Thanks Jan, I plan on making the most of this time away 🙂