The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Hello from Vancouver Island

Ann_T's picture
Ann_T

Hello from Vancouver Island

New member from Vancouver Island.

I've been reading this forum off and on for a number of years.  

I'm a home cook, who likes to bake both yeast and sourdough breads.  If I'm honest, I'm not really a fan of sourdough, but I love being able to make bread using my own starter.   And I have a husband and son who do like sourdough. 

I feed my starter with a stone ground organic rye, from a local Artisan Bakery. I use a Canadian bread flour from Rogers Flour.One of their commercial flours. 

I have a blog "Thibeault's Table" that I have been maintaining for over 10 years.

Look forward to participating and learning from the members here.  

Picture of a recent Sourdough bake. 

 

caraway's picture
caraway

to the site.  Your loaves are beautiful!   Would love to see a crumb shot whenever you have the time.   Bet you have some super wild yeast at your location, too.  And wonder if you have a wood fired oven by the looks of them.

Happy baking, Sue

Ann_T's picture
Ann_T

 Thanks for the welcome Sue. 

The bread below was baked on October 9th.

For the last two years I have baked all my breads in the CSO (Cuisinart Steam Oven) on the bread setting.  On a stone.   The Bread Setting steams the loaves at the beginning of the bake and then turns off the steam to finish baking.   I usually make between 6 and 8 baguettes at a time and to shorten the time, I start the loaves in the CSO for the first 10 minutes and then transfer them to a stone in an Oster French Door convection oven.  This way I get the benefit of the steam and can bake a number of loaves in half the time.   I haven't used my stove oven in over two years.  No more tossing water or ice cubes into the oven to create steam.  

 

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

hi Ann. Your breads are rustic and very beautiful. You are also quite the photographer!

What is it that you don’t like about sourdough?

Danny

Ann_T's picture
Ann_T

Hi Danny,  thanks.

I've just never been a big fan of sourdough.  Not even when I was in San Francisco. 

We tend to eat most of our bread toasted and I do like the sourdough toasted.  But I prefer my regular baguettes. Basically the same but without the sourdough preferment.  Other than that the bread is made the same way using the autolyze and stretch and fold method.  And I usually give the batch a cold fermentation anywhere from one day to four.   I vary my bakes between sourdough and yeast. 

BethJ's picture
BethJ

Are these just the regular, counter-top models?

Beautiful loaves!

Ann_T's picture
Ann_T

Yes, just counter-top models.  Although I wouldn't call the Cuisinart Steam oven "just regular".  I love this little oven

and use it for just about everything.   I even bought a spare just in case this one ever dies. 

 

caraway's picture
caraway

Amazing, especially when you’re baking with counter top ovens. Your breads are gorgeous inside and out.  Sourdough is my favorite and have kept a starter going since 1991.  Blush blush, my age is showing.  Wouldn’t be without it. Can’t remember last time I bought bread from a store and hope I never have to.  And agree with DanAyo that you’re quite the photographer as well. 

Benito's picture
Benito

Hello Ann from a fellow Canadian!  Your bread looks amazing, the steam oven sounds like such a good tool for baking bread.  I would certainly consider it for my next oven now that I've been baking bread, but I'll have to wait until my oven dies.

Benny