Blog posts

Before I talk about the details of this bread, I have to express my gratitude for Joze and Alan. Without their tips and advises, it would not be born. Thank you so much! 

This is my fifth attempt at barley flour, which also happens to be the first successful one. Regarding the challenges I faced when working with it, please refer to my recent forum post:  http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/56589/does-barley-have-exceptionally-high-enzymatic-activities

I have now made seven loaves of bread! The learning curve is steep but I'm excited to keep improving. 

Over the last few days I made an "experimental" bread (which was really just an adjusted version of the suggested TFL first loaf) and my first recipe out of Ken Forkish's FWSY, the Saturday White.

First came my "experimental" white:

• BF 43%
• APF 28%
• White whole wheat  15%
• Spelt 15%
• 90% hydration
• 20% levain
• 2% salt

Someone somewhere on the site posted the suggestion of a summer solstice bread challenge. This is my answer to that call. It's a sourdough summer solstice sun twirl with Ontario Maple Syrup, Quebec wild blueberry jam, sugared almond slivers and topped with cinnamon sugar. Happy summer to all..

 This is a version of my go to hamburger/hot dog bun/rolls formula.  Last time I made this with fresh milled rye so this time I used fresh milled whole wheat instead.

As usual they didn't disappoint.  I made these around 160 grams so these will fit the biggest burger you dare to use.  They are nice and soft and flavorful and perfect for burgers, sandwiches or just with some eggs and cheese for breakfast.

.Lucy and I have been working hard on her app that makes food invisible and has no smell so that fat people like me can lose some weight because we won’t be able to find the food we would normally consume.  Here is a picture of a delicious Chinese 9 course meal…..can’t see it can you?  Lucy rests her case    but not so fast.

This is a keeper!

I mixed: Buckwheat, BF, Semolina, graham, white whole wheat and little bit of malted flour.

20% of plum levain and 80% water...

The crumb is very soft with medium openness but the best part is the smell!

This photo was taken at dawn a few days ago. It is a field of heritage Marquis wheat grown by Cedar Isle Farm. They have carefully nurtured an initial very small seed stock over a number of years and now have enough seed to grow Marquis wheat for a modest commercial harvest.  I saw this photo in their Late Spring Update e-newsletter and wanted to share it with the TFL community if for no other reason than it's a beautiful picture!  Here is the accompanying excerpt from the newsletter:

My planned Solstice bake has not eventuated, it may still in a few days time.  Still this bake started on 20th, and finished today.  My very first 100% Rye bread - Madelaine Jude's Danish Rugbrod.  Here in NZ,  it is the winter solstice so maybe it is fitting.

20th June

9 am - 20 g Rye starter + 20 g water + 20 g rye flour leave on bench

8 pm Add 60 g water + 60 g rye flour and leave overnight

21st June 

8 am Add 60 g water + 60 g rye flour and leave on bench.  Cover 125 g whole rye berrieswith boiling water and leave to soak.

I finally got the color with 10 gram flowers steeped in 250 ml of hot water.  I compromised brighter hue by using higher % of whole grain flours but I am happy with the turmeric contrast. I would love to see larger holes in the crumb but not succeeding somehow...