The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Saying hello from Kent / London

AJB Temple's picture
AJB Temple

Saying hello from Kent / London

Just introducing myself.  My name is Adrian.  

By way of background I have cooked at a decent level for a good many years.  Bought a bread machine 15 years ago ...but did not use it that much as the bread was never as good as the commercially made quality bread, and I hated the dimple in the bottom.  It is now collecting dust in my loft.  

About 10 years ago I tried making sourdough.  Abject failure - the starters were never any good, and after a while I gave up.  Early this year I decided it was pathetic to be being Waitrose No.1 sourdough at £2.90 a pop, three times a week, and it was time I learned to bake.  

I had a book from Paul Hollywood (not much good tbh) and a better one from Richard Bertinet: Crust (the one with the DVD).  I bought some starter from a seller on Amazon and that failed completely.  You Tube was consulted and as I am cookery book addict I found Super Sourdough by James Morton.  This is labelled as the foolproof guide to making world-class bread at home.  Clearly with the above history, being foolproof was attractive, so I bought it.  

This book was a revelation.  I was in business!  The rye starter worked, I followed his dutch oven method, the first two loaves were amazing, and I was hooked.  I have only baked about 30 sourdough loaves so far: two at a time.always in the cast iron pots.  Gradually experimenting.

Being a book addict I bought the original Tartine Bread, and the Hamelman book (not arrived yet) and a book on making my own flour (also yet to arrive).  

I use a Kitchen Aid mixer to make my dough - on settings 1 and 2.  I know this is not the cool machine of choice in the baking fraternity, but it's what I've got and it works fine.  I buy Gilchester and Marriages, and Priory flours on line.  Some from Waitrose too.  Typically use dissolved Sel de Gris.  

Considering getting a grinder (probably Komo Fidibus Classic) to make my own flour: what is holding me back is it doesn't seem that easy to source good quality whole grain at sensible prices and I don't want an unused gadget.  I will be asking some questions about flour and also about my starter handling in the relevant sections.  

Hope everyone is handling the Covid 19 issues well.  Kind regards to all.  

Truth Serum's picture
Truth Serum

I too use a Kitchenaid mixer on 1 and 2 as well as my wet hands for stretch and fold. I find baking is one of the most calming things to do during the containment.

 

mwilson's picture
mwilson

I am probably only a few miles from you, in north east Surrey.

Never owned a breadmaker but I liked your story...

Happy baking,

Michael

bakesinblack's picture
bakesinblack

Greetings from Colorado Adrian! I just joined this site and came across it because I'm out of whole wheat and bread flour and there's just none on Amazon, KAF, Bob's Red Mill, etc.

I've been using my KitchenAid without fail for years and years. I don't know about others but I don't see a good reason to switch especially as many of the bread recipes I make are either no-knead or knead by hand. But when I need it (no pun intended) this machine has literally never failed in 10 years. 

For my entree into sourdough I found breadtopia.com (that's where I bought my dry starter). There are many recipes on their site using varied flours which I really like. I'm going to take a look at the Tartine book you mentioned. 

I found a stupid-easy recipe (literally called "The Easiest Sourdough Recipe" on foodgeek.dk (he's on YouTube as well) and I have been making this and bringing it to my parents recently as the stores are out of bread and this is the quickest, overnight and a few hours in the morning. 

AJB Temple's picture
AJB Temple

Thanks for the welcome everyone.  Always happy to meet anyone fairly local to me to discuss bread and cooking.  Best, Adrian

AJB Temple's picture
AJB Temple

Although I am quite well stocked for Artisan flour, with this Covid 19 issue supplies are unavailable it seems.  I buy online in 15kg quantities usually but the supermarket shelves are empty where I live.