Blog posts

Well I’m not sure how to start, as this is my first post, so I’ll give a little bit of a backstory...

I work as a chef in the middle of the country close to my home. I don’t don’t do top end fine dining rubbish;  I do good quality local homemade produce which I put a lot of care into. With the soul problem being, that I simply don’t have enough time to create and do new things as much as I want if I don’t have a bit of knowledge on what it is to begin with. Anyone else who works in a kitchen will likely understand where I’m coming from.

A week or so ago, my sister said “Let's make bismarks.”  So today we made bismarks, aka paczki.  Two batches, as a matter of fact.  It was one of our favorite things that Mom made.  Today, there are a number of happy McCool kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids reliving memories of Mom/Grandma/Great-Grandma Joyce and her bismarks.  

We never just make food.  We make a tangible expression of our love with everything that we prepare. And memories; strong, lasting memories. 

Paul

Feb. 9 - 10, 2021.

This is my 3rd bake for the Durum Community Bake. Previous blog entry, bake #2, for this CB is at: https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/67323/37th-bake-02052021-78-ww-durum

Goals here are:

• Increase the soak,
• more fermentation (inoculation + time),
• use less WW durum as a percentage -- it's just too sticky!
• use some semolina (gritty type, and low bran) to keep the % durum high.

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Incidentally there have been discussions here recently about using "weak" or unfed starter from the fridge, and I just baked some bread like that yesterday.

I have been making a lot of simple loaves, experimenting with new flours but not really trying to work anything into my bread. Then the other day I felt like making a porridge bread. I loosely based it on Tartine 3's rye porridge recipe, but cut down on the toasted walnuts, omitted the walnut oil, upped the hydration and used a 7 grain porridge mix I got from an Amish store a while back. I've lost the label but I think it was rye, hard red wheat, soft white wheat, spelt, oats, triticale, and maybe some buckwheat, I can't really remember.

I'm a new user and I'm very excited to join this community! I'm super impressed with the supportive and positive atmosphere that has been created. I've been a sourdough baker for years but haven't really been consistent in my methods until I recently read a blog post about starter acidity and its effect on gluten which got my brain buzzing. It prompted more reading which brought me to TFL a few weeks ago. Since then I've chosen my practice loaf, actually started taking notes,  and have been happily nerding out on it.

This one is a 100% Whole Wheat sourdough, tips and tricks by @fullproofbaking ? ? thank you! 

Sorry for trying be more creative on the photos! ?

Tartine Style Country Bread
Flours:
30g Rye Flour
60g Whole Wheat
230g Strong Bread Flour
272g Hydration
90g Starter(100% Hydration)

Made and baked last year and was posted on Instagram, I'm trying to put all my bakes on here! So! this was a loaf that is covered with lots of black sesame seeds, Flavour was okay but should have added some seeds to dough as well. That would my next experiment! So many plans!

There's been a lot of practice and failure on making these and I bet if do this again I might fail again, I'm planning on making a tutorial video on these as well.

Waiting and proofing is the hardest part on making these but with patience(a Lot) I manage to do it...

Sourdough Croissants 

200g Strong Bakers Flour