Newbie in Atlanta
Hey :) I'm totally new to baking, really, and to this site, but it's been extremely helpful so far. I just made my first batches... two of the Daily Bread recipe (I wasn't certain the poolish looked right the first time so I did it twice and made two batches) and one of the Pain de Provence, but with rosemary from my garden in lieu of the herbes de provence which I didn't have. The first daily bread loaves looked just ok... kinda pale, decent shape... but taste fantastic, especially with some butter and homemade strawberry jam. The second batch.... well, it got wider when it rose but not much taller. Kinda flat, you know? Maybe I needed to add more flour, I'm not sure. It was still so sticky when I put it in the oven that it didn't keep it's shape very much. It's still baking so we'll see, but I'm afraid it'll be too heavy. However, the rosemary bread looks and tastes like something you'd buy in a real bakery and I am SO proud of myself.
<> So, in case anybody's interested: my name is Marcy, I live in Atlanta, am 27, and own and run a small high-end gardening business. I love art and books and traveling and my cats and husband, and apparently,now, baking. If you have any advice whatsoever for someone just starting out, particularly as pertains to my very flat (and even the good batches were very slow to rise, despite being in a warm spot) dough, I'd be very very eager to hear it. Thanks!