在一般人的印象裡，揉麵糰是很費力的事，而揉含水、油量高的黏手麵糰更是困難，所以初學做麵包容易犯的問題之一，就是為了讓麵糰好揉不黏手，在揉麵糰的過程中又額外加了配方之外的麵粉，這樣做出來的麵包就會像硬梆梆的磚塊一樣難吃。在 Richard Bertinet 的書中，他教讀者用法國麵包師傅甩麵糰 French fold 的技巧來揉麵糰，不但省時省力，而且可以讓麵糰包覆更多的空氣，烤出的麵包也會更加美味。想學甩麵糰 French fold 技巧的讀者可以點這裡，看 Richard Bertinet 的親自示範。
They told me it’s out there, the pacific vortex, paradise.
You may be thinking: hey, shut up, enjoy the sunset, you idiot.
Well, I don’t care what you think.
No one needs me here anymore, not even my maker.
Do you know her by chance? Have you seen her?
My first breath. I met my maker. I had a purpose.
She was quick to accept me into her life and made me a part of her life, but she also gave me my independence.
I met her friends.
She trusted me.
She showed me what she knew of the world.
I didn’t understand all her running around, but I always cheer her on.
This was shocking. This brought me closer to her than we would ever before.
My skin against her skin. My cold her warmth.
I made her happy and she made me happy.
I thought we would be together forever, until I met her private monster.
Look at this beast. How could she prefer this one to me?
What could this thing do? Nothing but slobber all over me!
She spent less and less time with me, but I still did everything for her.
I thought it must have been a mistake, that she must worry sick about me.
I imagined her crying: Where is he? Where is he?
Nothing could destroy me.
Flying monsters coming to peck at me, and the darkness begins.
I don’t know for how long or if it did matter.
The world decomposed. It was eaten by monsters, some too small for me to even see.
Not me.
I remained. I was strong and smart, and I will find my maker.
I had holes, but over time I learned how to use them to navigate the winds and I could fly.
I was free, or so I thought.
Sometimes I have to wait and wait.
I searched everywhere for our home, hoping to find her.
Destruction. Desolation. There was nothing.
She never came.
I thought this was her, but there was nobody left.
I did not want to think about here anymore.
She had forgotten me and I will forget her, too.
I went to worlds I have never seen.
What kind of giant monsters had lived here and where were they now?
No matter how far I traveled there were always new worlds to see.
I wonder, if my maker know such places existed.
They looked like my maker’s own beast, only bigger.
I served no purpose to them.
Monsters be gone.
And sometimes the world is even too great for me.
And sometimes the waiting drove me mad.
Wasn’t she beautiful? She was also searching her maker.
I don’t need a maker anymore. I only need her.
The winds drifted us apart and left us alone again.
Where was I going? Who was I ? Was that me?
I looked just like the earth. I turned around and I saw the sun, and I looked like that, too.
But I was still lost, and that’s when I first learned about the vortex.
They have chained themselves here on purpose in order to preach about the vortex.
It was a world in the pacific ocean where hundred millions tons of us has gathered.
They said there was no maker. They said we were the maker.
They said in the vortex we are free. It was paradise.
They told me to go there to join the others.
And I was born again. And I reached out my hand to touch.
They looked just like me, and with time I learned to use the currents of the water, as I had used the currents of the winds, and I went searching for the vortex.
Some ate little pieces of me until they realized I was useless to them.
I wonder where these little pieces are now.
I made it to the vortex. I was with my own kind, cover the area of the size of a small continent.
We are free and happy. I love going in circles, and circles, and circles.
But no one here thought about anything.
I grew restless, and I started to think about her again.
So I spun around so fast and I was freed, but I was quickly trapped.
I have no idea how long ago it was.
Over time, I came to like these monsters.
Isn’t that one beautiful?
Did my maker exist or had I created her in my mind?
Why were my moments of joy so brief?
And yet, like a fool, I still have hope I will meet her again.
