Blog posts

It occurred to me that I wasn't clear about how the NYB free shipping offer works, and that anyone who orders will see shipping added onto their total. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out how to turn off the Paypal shipping calculator, so as I've explained to those who've phoned me, you need to pay the full amount, including the shipping, which I will then immediately refund. It's a bit roundabout, but for the moment, it's the best I can do. NYB is a work in progress, and I apologize for any misunderstandings.

I call them sourdough sticks because I they are bigger than the bread sticks I have eaten.  They turned out great and I'm thinking about making them again for Thanksgiving.  Making them was a lot easier than I thought it would be.  I took a bunch of them to work and my coworkers gobbled them down.  The lumps and bumps gives them a nice rustic look.  They are really simple to make with just flour, water, and salt.  The crust was nice and crispy with a soft and chewy crumb.

I need to make Italian bread and have a thinner crust. Normally, I make batards, use steam, and bake at 400 for 25 min. for an internal temperature of 200 degrees. If I omit the steam, as some suggest, would raising oven temp. result in a thinner crust? I am unable to determine whether cooking longer at a lower temp. produces a thicker crust. I also may wash the bread before baking with egg.

These pastries are made of croissant dough and filled with a fig filling.  Apparently lunettes are, among other things, eyeglasses in French.  You could use any croissant dough you liked, but the dough I used for these was whole wheat with a sponge from ABAP, by Suas.  2 lbs.

Here in Texas the weather is cooling off and here in Houston we are catching up on some much needed rain.  Go figure the summer I get a wood fire oven there is a burn ban in effect from, oh, June til mid September.  So this summer I spent most of my time drooling and plotting over my new oven.  We did have time before the burn ban to get some experience with firing it, maintaining temperatures and such.  We still have disasters.  Like the burnt sanwich loaves from last weekend.  My hubby, the fire man, said I needed to put the pans in the oven, but the oven was

My son's 2nd grade class toured Franz Bakery today.  I chaperoned this trip, naturally.

Saturday night, my wife and i were invited by our friends across the river in Farley MO to help celebrate the 89th birthday of Rob's mother. We used the opportunity to present a copy of the BBA to their daughter Ryoko as a late birthday/early Christmas gift. She's a junior in high school and really very good in the kitchen. I brought a loaf of a sourdough potato bread that I'm working on as a recipe.

Background:

Golosaria is a "culture and taste" exhibition. A unique event that brings to the fore the very best italian artisans. Every autumn they meet in Milano and Torino, and in spring in Monferrato to show you the most wonderful italian foods. Pasta, sauce, cheese, pastry, beer, chocolate, wine ...