Hamelman's Five-Grain Sourdough with Rye Sourdough
Today was another snowday, so I again canceled a variety of plans to stay home with my son. Amazing how nicely baking bread fits into that routine. I had already planned to bake, but had no idea how I was going to fit it in, since I always manage to be out of the house at the exact moment that some essential step has to happen. No such worries today. I made Hamelman's 5 grain sourdough for the first time, as well as yet another iteration on my own elusive sourdough. Actually I made Hamelman's 5 minus 1 plus replacements sourdough. Since I don't like sunflower seeds, I upped the flax seeds and oats. I don't have cracked rye (or know what it is) and had just bought a tiny bag of wheat berries, having no idea what to do with them, so I threw them into a coffee grinder and gave them a whirl, and voila - cracked something. The resulting bread is just awesomely tasty. Only after I tasted it did I run to this site and search, and see how them as come before me have raved about it. Absolutely delicious, and compared to what I've been trying to make lately, like a walk in the park. What other jewels is Hamelman hiding up his sleeve? Not that he has any duds as far as I can tell. But some are better than others, and this is just amazing.
and rye and white sourdoughs side by side: