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As I begin to work my way through Dan Lepard's The Handmade Loaf, there is a bread pictured on the inside cover that got me wondering. It looks like a boule with an appendage twisted with pointed tips and makes me think of a handle to hold while carrying or cutting. Dan didn't identify the bread by name and I haven't seen anything like it before so until I hear otherwise from Dan or someone who knows the real name, I'm calling it Medieval Bread.

Sometime ago I took a cooking course in Gargano and Chef Marco gave me a delicious family recipe that I is perfect for a luncheon with friends. 

http://turosdolci.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/a-recipe-from-gargano-calzone-con-cipolla/

 P.R. new book 'artisan breads every day' just arrived and I have 3 lbs.

Everyone's got a little Holden Caulfield in them, I presume?

I've never been a big fan of bagels, which is part of why I skipped this recipe at first, but I know a lot of people who like them so I finally decided the time was right. First step of the recipe is easy, making a sponge, just water, flour and yeast left to expand for a few hours.

Hi to everybody. I've missed not being on this forum over the past few months. My husband was diagnosed with early Parkinson's disease mid-August and that really threw us for a loop. I've had MS for 40 years and although I am very active and strong in many ways, I can't walk very fast any more. Anyway, we've had to make a lot of decisions about whether to stay where we are or move, plan for the future, get educated on his disease, etc. I just felt too distracted to continue participating.

This is the first recipe I baked from my new copy of Dan Lepard's "The Handmade Loaf". The book is beautifully illustrated and has breads from all over Europe that are unique and well described. The official name of this bread doesn't do justice to the ingredients list. Lurking in the list are 100g of olives and olive oil that help make the dough smooth and delicious. I thought the final dough was a touch dry, so I added a couple Tablespoons additional water.

If anyone remembers, I intended to make a Spooky Gingerbread House to go on top of a cake for our Halloween party. Well, I got carried away and it won't fit. Who cares, the kids like it. I know it shows up a little over the top in the photos, but in person it does not. Don't know why.... Oh well, Happy Halloween Ya'll!

Hi to every reader of the site, I found out that I 'm member of the site from 33 weeks and, inspite of it, I never, really introduced myself: Paolo, born in Italy (near Torino) 44 years ago but living the last 21 years in Quito (Ecuador), married with a dentist, father of three good kids, I run a small hotel (our hotel) and started to bake bread about 6 or 7 years ago but during the last 2 years I just used  100% sourdough.