July 5, 2007 - 2:06pm
Wooden Bread Bowl
I am wondering if anyone knows of a good resource for purchasing the rectangular wwoden bread bowls. I am currently trying to locate them on the internet, but find many to be abit pricey.
Another question that I have is for those who use the bowls. Do you have any tips on seasoning a new bowl to make it easier to work with the dough?
Thank you,
Paula
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Do you mean proofing baskets? The best place that I know of to order them (at least if you are in North America) is The San Francisco Baking Institute.
No, it isn't a basket. the bowl are either round or rectangular shaped. the bowls are made from hardwood. The "standard" size is about 14" diameter and no less than 4" deep.
The bowl is deep enough that you can mix the dough in it, knead the dough, then let it rise. The nice part about the bowls is that, like cast iron, the bowls can be seasoned. The oils used in the bread dough will season the wood. To clean the bowl, you use a scrapper & water only as soap would cause you to have to re-season it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/primitive-large-mustard-wooden-farmhouse-dough-bowl_W0QQitemZ120137083557QQihZ002QQcategoryZ1217QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120137393005&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RCRX_Pr4_PcY_BID_Stores_IT&refitem=120137083557&itemcount=4&refwidg...
I've been looking for something like that myself. I have seen new ones at arts/crafts fairs, that kind of thing, but they're not cheap if they're properly made from good wood. So I'm hoping to find one at a thrift shop or someplace like that.
Seasoning is easy. Just rub the clean, dry bowl with mineral oil -- or I suppose any edible oil with little or no flavor -- let it stand for a while so the oil can migrate in between the wood fibers, then wipe it down vigorously. Like polishing silver. With a new bowl, you would repeat that process a number after using it several times. Then just occasionally, depending on how it holds up.
"I am not a cook. But I am sorta cooky."
how about those big wooden sallad bowls they have at target? Only round ones though.
Have you looked in here. qahtan
http://www.fantes.com/wood_bowls.htm