Blog posts

    This week two more versions of Raisin Pumpernickel were added to the odyssey. One round - using rye/yeast water levain and one in a loaf pan - that one used only instant yeast for leavening. I'm getting closer; both breads are great tasting but I still have a ways to go with my rye skills - shaping, transferring from basket to peel, and judging when they're proofed enough and ready to go into the oven. 

I've been searching for Hodgson Mills Graham Flour since reading about Zolablue's Grandmother's Brown Bread. 

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/2630/memos-brown-bread   

I have been trying to shed a few pounds gained over the long torturous winter so I have been trying to eat much healthier.  Last week I bought some all natural cottage cheese from Whole Foods under the Nancy's Cottage Cheese brand.  I usually buy Breakstones 2% which I enjoy but I have to say this all natural one tasted a lot different and has a strong sour taste to it.  Not to my liking for eating, but perfect for a bread.

We had all kinds of milestones this week.  First off it was Lucy’s birthday.  She was 11 on Tuesday but as she says.... she really was Numero Uno twice that day.  She celebrated by rushing up the introduction of her newest bread product called ‘Lucy’s Bread Balm.’

The way that I’ve been doing levain builds recently has been addition by subtraction, a three stage build, started out more or less as such (for ex:):

For non-german readers spargel is white asparagus.  its in season just now here in bavaria, so I just had to bake with it.  This Spargel pizza recipe is delicious.  For full details, go to mybreadandbrot.com

I'm really not sure how, but sometime over the winter my venerable Henckels bread knife went missing. I bought this cheap orange knife, hoping the other would turn up, but no luck. 

Freshloafers, please do yourselves a favour and NEVER buy a knife like the cheap orange one. When I began baking Forkish style boules in the cast DO the knife would barely cut through the crust.

It is because of the generous and sincere tips from a various individuals on this site....I finally, churned out a decent looking loaf of bread. Still have plenty to work on but I am off to a good start, I think. 

p/s : Thanks Abe, dabrownman and WendySusan.....appreciate the effort!

Regards,

FrugalBaker

Crumb Shot

Well this old skibum is a very happy baker, having both a natural levain and now a working yeast water culture. I used 50g of sweet levain and 50g of YW levain, both at 100% hydration in a mix with about 450g total flour.

I am AMAZED by the oven spring the YW adds to the bake. I bake pulla often, but have been stuck baking the commercial yeasted versions. The natural leavening simply produces superior crust, crumb and flavour!

With all of this fresh starter, I am back to baking something every day and my neighbours and I are loving the results!

I am happy to be back to baking!!  having spent 2 weeks in front of my computer overhauling my website it feels great to get back to what I like the best, baking!