Thanks to all

hi,

Thanks to the makers of this web site and those who post.  I've learned so much and made notes which shall keep me busy for a long time.

I've been baking breads for years but this website has me improving my breads so very much.  I knew about long fermentation but that's about all I knew.  I wanted to google for rye recipes last autumn and to my surprise, for Christmas, I gave myself Peter Reinhart's books, Crust and Crumb, BBA, and WGB ---my favorite---plus the Village Baker by Joe Ortiz.

I have purchased a few books in the years past, that are helpful but not at all so complete as the books above.  My older books include Baking with Julia, the Look and Book Bread bok of Ann Willan, and the Sunset Bread book (which has been revised over the years ---45 years now, I think).  Sections of other books on cooking have included brief but useful ideas.  

I'm sticking to learning basics.  My blog will chart my occasional progress.   I may help others in the due process of time.

Most of my baking has been whole wheat or rye/white flour.  I use various forms from bread pans to cast iron pans for much of my personal effort and style.  I shall try to do more panless breads such as batards, baguettes, and boules for examples.  I don't make large loaves any more nor large numbers of loaves. 

Reading my new books is helping me to understand what I was doing in the past years of baking.  Reading in this website has also increased my knowledge. 

I have added 2 books.  The Art of Handmade Bread by Dan Lepard.  The next book is Bread A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes by Jeffery Hamelman.

This means my studies have increased greatly. 

I'm studying the work of many on this site and the wealth of links.

Robert