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Another trip up north, but this time I'm staying home to tend to the dog.  However some baguettes will be accompanying my wife on the journey - destination in-laws, as usual.  The recent bake of Hamelman's Pain au Levain are scheduled to travel, and now these baguettes based on David Snyder's SJSD Italian Baguettes.  Next up will probably be my take on his SJSD baguettes.

I was hosting a brunch, of course I had to bake something good.  I came up with these little swirled knots of milk bread and chocolate bread.  Both are enriched yeast doughs,  lightly sweetened, rather aesthetically pleasing and very delicious.  Full instructions (with lots of photos) and ingredients are now posted on mybreadandbrot.com

Cari Amici,

quell che voglio lasciarvi oggi è il racconto fotografico di una esperienza bellissima che mi ha visto prendere un treno che dalla Toscana mi ha condotta in Veneto, al fine di aiutare una associazione di volontariato che si occupa di disabili.

Insiene a tanti professionisti del settore ho potuto impastare tanto Pane e tanti dolci di grandissima qualità...ho imparato da tutti loro tante cose importanti ed insieme a loro mi sono sentita utile verso il mio prossimo.

Una esperienza che mi sento di consigliare a tutte le persone di buona volontà....

Lucy is known for her multi grain breads with lots of different stuff added to the mix.  With the Pope coming to America this week and in keeping with his vow of living simply Lucy really tried to turn over a new leaf.  She used 1 grain only, half of it sprouted, where the hard bits were sifted out and fed to 2 different levains.

The family has been asking for fluffy white bread, so lately I have been baking very fluffy, plain white rolls (actually a hamburger bun recipe). They love it. Go figure. Did sneak wheat germ in it though.

For a change, I thought I would try adapting one of Hamelman's recipes to see if I could make a light, but more nutritious loaf that also includes some sourdough starter. So, this is what I came up with:

The night before build levain and leave on counter overnight:
Bread flour: 72 grams
Water: 90 grams
Starter: 14 grams

Putting together a college care package.  Top request was wild yeast olive bread like back home. These should do the trick and a fun way to pass on a little message too.

I've loved the feel of the Hamelman Pain au Levain dough during every phase of the prep.  French Folds, Letter Folds, shaping, couching, scoring.  And, of course, seeing what comes out of the oven as bread.

And so it was time for another indecisive bake.  Batards or baguettes.  Hmm, why not both.  Again, I've not seen this bread done as baguettes anywhere on this site before, so maybe I can start a movement.

After accidentally stretch-and-folding a loaf into near soup, I asked here if it was possible I had overkneaded.  Instead a new term entered my vocabulary: thiols!  However, I've found it near impossible to find out much more about these mysterious and oft-titled "pesky" by-products of unwelcome bacteria.  Google yields very little, and what I can deduce from TFL is incomplete and added to with other mysterious terms I don't understand yet.

Oh my! I had to share this recipe!

As a single ski bum, I have been feeding daily on cream cheese, fruit braid and pulla for nearly three weeks now. I have also discovered parts of long ago baked breads in the depths of my freezer. Some still excellent and a couple over time. Time to start baking loaves again and time to feed my starter.

I have baked these cookies a couple of times with great results and this time decided to spike things with a little chipotle powder and some almond. This recipe just called out for some nuts!

Here is the mix:

   My good bread baking friend DA and his furry apprentice Lucy have been baking up a storm lately.  Mookie thought it was high time I get my act together and see if I can come close to packing in as many ingredients in a bread as they do.  I am not sure if this one fits the bill, but it sure did come out chock full of flavor.

I used some sunflower seeds in the porridge mixture for some added crunch and flavor and the addition of the mushroom with sage olive oil really created a healthy and fall feeling bread.