The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

A (quick) tale of two "students"

alfanso's picture
alfanso

A (quick) tale of two "students"

No, that isn't my batard.

During our recent visit to my brother and wife in Albuquerque, their home baker friend, having seen my postings on TFL asked if I could give him a baking lesson.  Just in case, I also packed up everything to make a few batches of SJSD batards.  Everything except the kitchen sink and my baking deck, that is.

The prior day Sandra, also my "student", and I worked on getting a batch ready to have Marty bake as soon as he walked in, because that is the only way that he'd be able to see the full cycle from levain build through bake in a single afternoon.

Working backwards with Marty, we

  1. baked, then did
  2. a mix, bulk ferment, divide and shape finally ending with couched batards for the next bake.  And we finished up by
  3. doing a levain build.  

An entire cycle in one day, albeit out of order.  I'd done this scheme once before and it worked out really well, so I already had the template in place.

The day after Sandra did that dough's bake, and then a week later, just before we returned home, she wanted to lock in the process so we did another cycle - in logical order this time.

Three weeks ago Marty sent me a really nice email with his own SJSD picture.  He wrote "I made my first bread with your instructions and it’s probably the best bread I’ve made."  I also showed Marty that we can use plain old Pillsbury types of flour to get superior results - no need for the fancy stuff.

Here is Sandra's own follow-up SJSD.

And the lead picture is Sandra's SJSD with caraway seeds inside.  She baked this one just the other day, and I think the results are so incredible!  She is a gifted painter, ceramist and cook.  It won't be long before we add bread baker to the list.

As for us?  Headed out to an acquaintance's house full of folks for Christmas Day celebration, I baked these in my new-found variations on a theme - fat baguettes: more semolina sesame and SFBI Pain au Levain.  Four for them, two for our aunt & uncle and two for us.  Baked a shade lighter than I typically would as not everyone is a fan of my favored dark crust.  I think that I'm having a little problem with self-control...

My wife made this Mexican chocolate roll for her share of the baking. 

 alan

Comments

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

and have to include the chocolate roll in that - yum all round.  love the idea of doing the demo in reverse.  you have some talented students there for sure :)

happy baking Alan

Leslie

alfanso's picture
alfanso

but in reality it is only the length of a jelly roll pan.  Camera angle tricks, I guess.

Yes, the reverse activity seems to work out just fine - as long as everyone is on the same page and they realize the steps on the formula sheet are the correct order ;-) !

thanks, alan

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

Yours and your student's bread are beautiful; and your wife's cake looks so decadent!

alfanso's picture
alfanso

About 35 years ago she bought this little thin small format paperback, now out of print, Mountains of Chocolate.  Virtually everything in there we've made has been a keeper, perhaps none more so than this log.

thanks, alan

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

to see some from others you have in training ....but your wife takes the cake with her Mexican Chocolate Roll!  DaBrownman is impressed!  Even Lucy wants a bite of that roll.......

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you and yours Alan

alfanso's picture
alfanso

dogs and chocolate are a recipe for disaster.  But maybe what she doesn't know...

thanks, alan

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

You know, I did my Pediatrics residency at UNM. We loved our years in New Mexico. So, it gives me much pleasure to have my San Joaquin Sourdough established in my old neighborhood. 

Alan, you need to get your "students" introduced to TFL. They seem to have a lot of talent. ... Or is it totally their gifted instructor? 

David

alfanso's picture
alfanso

give it a foothold in ABQ.  My brother lives in the foothills just below the Sandias off Tramway.  Amazing views of the valley from his house.  We had a great breakfast at Frontier on Central Ave. NE, which might have been around when you were there.

My sister-in-law has so many things going on that who knows how much she'll bake.  But I also transported a tub of my 75% hydration levain out there under blue ice, and now she and Marty can propagate and keep it going for future bakes if they wish.  They have all the "tools" and knowledge, and there is no substitute for practice and experience so it is literally in their hands now.

thanks, alan

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

I can't believe how awesome those loaves made by your students are! I would have sworn they were yours! You need to have a workshop one day where we can sign up and learn from you!

alfanso's picture
alfanso

I'll be hanging out my shingle!  Baking is so much fun and one of the few things that keeps me sane these days, if I was ever sane to begin with.  But by and large it is a solitary hobby.  Baking classes would be fun if for no other reason than to be elbow to elbow with others while doing the prep and bake and to be able to communicate to others what I've been able to do here.  That's what made this "assignment" so enjoyable.  Plus I knew that I had two people who were really interested in learning.

thanks, alan

Ru007's picture
Ru007

But I think I already knew this, ive learned plenty from you :)

Those loaves look amazing. Yum.

You and you're students are doing a great job.

Happy baking

Ru

 

alfanso's picture
alfanso

Yes, I couldn't have expected results this good so quickly from either of them, so I am totally impressed myself. I guess it goes to show that if you have good stock to begin with, the soup comes out really good in the end!

thanks, alan 

joc1954's picture
joc1954

I would love to attend your one day master class in baking - I am sure I would learn a lot. Those loaves are really awesome and congratulations to your students. I agree that they have to join TFL ASAP.

Merry Christmas Alan!

Joze

alfanso's picture
alfanso

Marty and Sandra were quite willing and attentive guinea pigs to experiment on.  Without good "students" the professor doesn't look quite so good!

Thanks, alan

alfanso's picture
alfanso

duplicate removed