Blog posts

Recently, I've been attempting to grind and sift my own flour. The grinding is straightforward with a Retsel Mil-Rite, an excellent home stone buhr mill or my new Meadows 8-inch stone mill. However, the mysteries of sifting the flour have been less straightforward. A subsequent blog entry will deal with my progress on grinding and sifting my own flour. The sifting project motivates the need for measuring the ash content of my flour.

Ash Content

Well the day is finally winding down, and I think I am done. What a great day it has been.  I started off making the kids some home made pancakes from a recipe I found online some time ago.  Since they were made from scratch, my youngest calls 'em "Daddy's Scratchy Pancakes".  It stuck with the rest of the family as well, so that was their request before they went to bed last night.  After the scratchy pancakes were finished off I got to work on my breads.

I decided to add some whole wheat flour to the italian bread this time.

I wasn't paying attention and left the oven high for a little too long... oops.  They're a little dark. 

The dark crust didn't adversely affect the flavor, though. 

Again I made my quick bread. The treacle whole wheat loaf.

It again was a success! I think I have hit the nail on the head! This time the Whole wheat/white ration was 75 WW and 25 White. I kneaded it for 15 mins and even got a windowpane! *falls over in shock*

Heres a picture of the finished loaf. This time slashed and it rose so beautifully. I could cry!

and a front on with slices shot....

I link my photos from flickr...so far it is the easiest way for me work it :S

I have a few contacts on my flickr friends list...all people who saw my photos and decided they wanted to add me. So I add them back :)

One contact posted this most delicious looking recipe. It is in another language, but they also have written it in english below the entry in their native tongue.

It looks absolutely scrummy! So, I thought I'd post a link for those who want to have a look.

Today I had a little triumph.

My oven has been broken for 5 days and finally the oven repair man came to replace the element....yesterday....

So, after testing the oven with lentil Pie and Steak and red wine pie (for the hubby) last night. I was ready to make some bread today.

I had made a poolish, but after a bit of a busy/mixed up day, it had been left out for too long and I decided not to use it. I had made it way too wet as it was anyhoo.