Blog posts

I've been playing with bwraith's no-knead sourdough formula and tried to adjust it for the vagaries of October in Wisconsin.  I've landed on what seems to be a fine method (for October in Wisconsin).  

With apologies to bwraith, whose baker blog I've been stalking, here's the formula I used:

50 g 100% hydration starter

320 g water

450 g flour (roughly 10% rye, 45% each AP and Dakota Maid bread flour)

9 g salt

A couple of weeks ago I started on my journey to make sourdough bread.  Having been a home bread maker for nearly twenty years on and off, I thought (wrongly)... easy!   I AM such a funny girl!  The first lot of starter got thrown out after three days (it was probably fine, but any bubbles it might have had completely disappeared after I added tap water instead of filtered.)  Anyway, a new lot was started.  Just 50 grams white unbleached bread flour and 50 grams filtered water.  Long story short....

Well . . . I'm new here.  Started baking about two years ago when I shaped some leftover pizza dough into a breadstick-sized baguette and never looked back.  Got into sourdough this past summer when a friend gave me a starter that had been given to her father, a dentist in Bend, Oregon, in lieu of payment for dental work, back in 1963.  Here are some English muffins the little guy helped raise.  Adapted from this formula at Wild Yeast, using white whole wheat flour.

Oh the freezer was empty of bread.. I baked up some good old basic sourdough @100.  The recipe from the http://www.northwestsourdough.com  site.  Where Teresa now has her free download book available!

Ever since txfarmer posted her recipe these have been on my "to bake' list, and once my grandgirls saw the cute "bone" cutters there was no excuse. Lily and I mixed the dough on Saturday afternoon but for various reasons we wrapped it well and placed it in the refrigerator overnight. It sat on the counter while I made the requisite Sunday morning sourdough pancakes which were voted the best ever, maybe because I used my cookie scoop and the pancakes were smaller than usual. Then Lily and I started rolling and cutting, and yes, it makes a lot of biscuits!

So, yes, this evening we had a user get upset and try to expunge himself from the site.  For now, I have shut down the account.

I've posted a brief review of the Tartine Bread book here at ChewsWise.com. I've really enjoyed baking with it, and wanted to show off my results of his whole wheat loaf, which is actually 70% whole wheat. Here's a picture. (I also didn't post the entire piece because I've had problems posting on the Fresh Loaf blog). 

Hello,

I'm trying to buy a new mixer for bread and laminated dough. I already have a kitchen aid for everyday use, and wanted to buy a good and strong spiral mixers with a reasonable price. I only bake for my family and friends, so looking into 8, 10 or 12 quarts size for 1-2 KG dough. Not sure what kind of brands is good out there, so I need everyone's help. I was looking to Eurodib, Anvil, Univex, globe or Centaur mixers. Does anyone familiar with those brands?

Thank you..

It has been an exciting few weeks since the Foodista Best Of Food Blogs Cookbook has been published. I have met many new friends via email from around the world who have won this contest. My entry was Cartellate Cookies from Puglia a family recipe made during Thanksgiving and Christmas. The recipe can be found in the book and in my blog.

http://turosdolci.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/foodista-best-of-food-blogs-cookbook-is-in-bookstores/

When I buy new cloths/shoes, I tend to always wear them in the begining. Same thing with baking books, I am still on the Tartine Bread Book wagon, so here's another one: olive oil brioche. I always thought brioche is all about showcasing the flavor of butter, but apparently it can be made with olive oil (no butter) and it's a traditional bread from south of France.