Blog posts

My friend Leo died earlier this year.  He was pretty sick towards the end.

Leo loved Choreg, a sort of Armenian holiday bread his mother used to make.

To try to cheer him up a bit I found a recipe on the web and made up a loaf for him, the first time I'd ever made Choreg.  

The recipe I used was this one: http://www.food.com/recipe/armenian-easter-bread-198715

The first two for our S.F. friends visiting with us earlier this week, and the third for our TG dinner with cousins nearby.  Happy Thanksgiving.  alan

A pair of Greenstein/Snyder Jewish Rye loaves 

A pair of Raisin-Pecan WW Levain Batards, plus one little baguette just because...

A pair of SJSD Batards 

I've never had a pumpkin pie in my entire life because pumpkins and/or squashes are just meant to be savory here. I can't imagine pumpkin as sweet before, then it became a trend to put it in desserts because of the flavor and health benefits; still haven't tasted a sweet with pumpkin. So, pumpkin is generally accepted now to be used in sweet and savory alike but the idea of pumpkin pie with spices (some even call for black pepper and coriander) is still perplexing because the use of spices with sweets is not much accepted, it sure tastes alien here!

Instead of discarding some when I feed my rye starter, I have been experimenting with cakes and baking. I found this recipe on the internet but used a cup  of leftover sprouted grain whole wheat flour instead of cake flour. Before it went into the oven, I thought there was not nearly enough batter to make a decent sized cake. But it must have quadrupled in volume and came right up to the rim by the time it finished baking. It is moist and surprisingly light. I think I have just discovered my favourite chocolate cake.

E poi, ci sono occasioni in cui ti chiudi nella tua cucina per riflettere.....

E soltanto nel silenzio di quel piccolo spazio intriso di profumi, ricordi, tanti ricordi, nella tua mente i pensieri tornano indietro nel tempo, al 2012 per l'esattezza, quando fu il caso che mi consentì di assaggiare un Pane integrale di grande valenza, un vero Pane d'Autore, eseguito da uno straordinario Professionista....

This will necessarily be brief, but I wanted to post yesterday's loaf, Spelt Sprouted Wheat Date Walnut. I've been in the office more than home lately, so this one got only the attention I could provide when I could provide it, but turned out well despite the inattention. Ingredients included:

Sprouted wheat grains - about 2/3 c.

250 g Whole Spelt

350 g BF

60 g Wheat Germ

500 g Water

150 g Starter (@100%)

12 g Salt

2 Tbsp Walnut Oil

Walnut pieces, toasted - 2 handfuls

Dates, chopped - 2 handfuls

Very seldom do I repeat a bread, always something new and interesting to try, but this one was so good had to try again. Plus it's a test drive for rolls on Thanksgiving. The Millet porridge gives the crumb a moist almost fluffy at the same time texture and the sprouted grains add some sweetness. 

Good morning everyone.  I've been following this site for a while now and have been baking out of Ken Forkish's FWSY cookbook.

I baked his Pain de Campagne this morning (hybrid levain & instant yeast).  It is a proof in the fridge overnight recipe.  Both loaves "looked" great coming out of the fridge.  I think they passed the finger-dent test but I am a little unsure about the test.

Made these to give to patients leaving the recovery room at the local hospital.

Bread flour, WW flour,  spelt, oatmeal and topped with chia seeds. 12-14 ferment depending on when they hit the oven. One left I will try tomorrow.

Lucy went back to a more simple recipe this week that had some overlooked ingredients of late hoping to take her sprouted grains baking in another direction.  As it turned out, the only ingredient we don’t use often in this bake was the hazelnuts – the 2nd most overlooked nut in breads after pistachios.