Couldn't resist ....
I'm a whole-wheat kind of guy and usually that's all I make. But at the Fresh Loafer's [1] meet-up, like Floyd, I was really taken by Crumb Bum's miche. And not only me. My wife, Aurora, who is just as big on the whole-wheat kick as I am, said, "Umm, honey? You think you could make that? You know, not all the time, but ... maybe ... THIS WEEK?!"
Leemid's sourdough was also exceptionally tasty -- not just sour, but much more complex than that -- and when I found that he was using Carl Griffith's legendary 1847 Oregon Trail starter [2], I knew I had to try it.
Personally, I was disappointed in the desem I brought. Whereas it's usually moist, this one was a bit dry. It was a day old and I don't think I'd stored it well -- for most of the day, I just left it out on the counter, until I finally stuffed it in a canvas bag before going to bed. Then again, the raisin bread was dry too. Maybe the flour? I'd used winter wheat instead of spring.
Anyway, I've got a big old bowl of miche in the kitchen that I started up this morning. Tomorrow morning, I'll shape and bake. Can't wait!
If any of you give my whole-wheat starter (Arthur) a try, I'd be interested to hear how it performs for you.