Blog posts

Ok, back from my business trip to beautiful San Antonio, Texas ...got more work done on the garden shed, and I'll be baking the whole wheat (pate fermentee?) from Bread for The Bread Challeng on Sunday.  Here's the lates on the garden shed ...and a tidbit or two on the shop that I'm having built at the same time.  My yard is a genuine construction zone!!!

This the second try on this bread and it went better than last time. It still is not brown enough, is too flat and the texture is not open enough. I tried proping the door open with a hot pad at the top of the oven door for the last approx 12 minutes. Turned the oven off and left the bread in with door closed. I baked it quite a bit longer than called for so I guess I should just leave it in until it's brown enough.

I make these sourdough babies weekly, and over months have tweaked my recipe to the point where they turn out just how I like them every time. These ones were especially good, so couldn't resist taking a pic and posting.

Anyone interested in my recipe, you can find it here.

Aveagoodweegend all, and best o bakin' to you!
Ross

This is a very important cake. My best friend in the whole world is having a birthday today, and I'd like you all to be at his party! Happy Birthday Eric Hanner!!!!  

New at this baking. I do love this recipe. I can not really tell the difference between the Kosher Salt and the Fleur de Sel. However, I'm going to try the Irish Butter and see if that will.

Okay, I have wanted to create this checkered bread - two tones. Wanna capture the 'cubic' shape idea as well (Asian bakers have access to a square bread mould - very cute and handy!). Although the bread is not cubic, I love the effects!

+ The green color is from Pandan paste (which is made from a leaf native to South Asia. It has sweet vanilla fragrance)

Instructions here.

Its been a few months at the bakery, and I've got to confess that I've come home from a shift compelled to write and describe my experiences, yet I've never had the willpower to take up the pen (or keyboard, as it were). All those times were of difficulty, bad days caused by plenty of effort and a healthy amount of optimism, with the outcome being less then what should come out of so much desire and "try".

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/17960/pain-au-levain  Pain au levain

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/files/u9564/walnut_levain_recipe.jpg  Walnut levain recipe

This just came out of the oven a few minutes ago and I thought it looked too good not to take a picture.  It's Hamelman's Pain au Levain with Mixed Sourdough Starters.  It has two levains: a wheat and a rye.  It's not cool yet so no crumbshot.  It didn't feel over-proofed but after slashing and sliding it into the oven it seemed to get awfully flat.  It certainly sprang back though.  I made a loaf of volkornbrot that came out about 15 minutes earlier and because of the strong, sweet rye smell I didn't expect the smell of this bread to be very noticeable but its