Blog posts

With Lucy being on strike this week after she found out the FBI was surveilling both Hilary and Trump during and after the last presidential campaign.  She wanted to know if I was surveilling her and she did not like it, not one little bit, when I said I could not confirm or deny any ongoing investigations by the Master just like the FBI’s director James Comey can’t talk about his investigations or confirm or deny they are even going on.

I have been visiting Arizona for the last four months from the Flagstaff area to Willcox east of Tucson about 100 miles almost to El Paso. I only came here to wait for the snows to leave the Colorado mountains as I am relocating to the greater Denver area.

Baking Association of Canada’s event Bakery Congress 2017 returns to Vancouver BC this April 23rd and 24th after 4 years.   Attendee registration is open now at www.baking.ca .

Wetter is Better

European rustic bread requires very high levels of hydration, anywhere from 60% to 75%. That means for every kilogram of flour you use, try to use almost 3/4ths kilogram of water.

Slow & steady wins the race.

It takes a time to really invoke the best flavors from your grains. The more you slow down the fermentation process, the better your loaf is likely to taste.

Swiss Bake French style flours are traditionally milled by artisan millers and the entire flour range is produced from imported French grown wheat or with a blend of locally grown equivalent wheat varieties.

These quality flours from us are a result of our dedication and passion for well-crafted flour.  Each year we produce only a limited quantity of each refined flour on order estimates from our most demanding chefs and bakers.

Tuesday's gone with the wind, along with 3 of my favorite loaves yet. 

 I was inspired by a recipe from The Perfect Loaf and decided it was time to change up my routine and add some more stuff to my dough. These loaves can only be appreciated by a baker. I feel like something has changed in my baking and it seems to have all come from this one bake. Have you ever felt that way? As if this is some kind of turning point and I see a bright baking future ahead. 

...so many of you here, for your inspiration, your patience and detail in answering questions, and your generosity in sharing your formulas and instructions in enough detail that even a rank newbie like me can start off with some success! 

It doesn't exist. Perfection is subjective. But yet, foolishly I bake and bake and bake to reach a level that is possibly unattainable. In the this limitless search of the divine bread loaf I am fulfilled. Similar to exercise or brewing or any craft at all, in bread-baking there is no ending goal, we bakers simply enjoy the process. 

Got some dutch ovens to end the war between my loaves and our convection oven that has no off switch. No more worries about steam or drying out loaves with lackluster results. 

I made a few more videos for breads I commonly make. I made these videos to teach my father how to cook, but I realized they might be useful to other people as well! I always welcome comments, feedback, and critiques.  Thank you!

Pain de Mie: https://youtu.be/0I4kv59fbhA

Pain de Campagne: https://youtu.be/6d5zfLJO7Ow

San Francisco Sourdough: https://youtu.be/_rPoJKgSMhk

I had loads of starter left over from my loaf this weekend. I'm still getting used to how much starter I need to keep for the amount I bake. My 3 yr old daughter absolutely demolishes anything with chocolate or hazelnuts, or brioche, so i thought this was a good idea. Anybody who has children will not be surprised to learn, that despite the fact she adores every ingredient in these, they're definitely poison and she won't go near them, because I'm the worst person in the world.