Last night I tried to explain to people why I love baking bread. It was the Pecha Kucha San Diego night #11 and folks were packed into the lounge at the W Hotel to hear on subjects ranging from car…
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Is the Sourdough Done Yet?
No. The sourdough is not done yet. Always a work in progress, always a project that keeps me busy, the sourdough is getting close but might never be there. Good. I would feel so empty inside if it was done,…
Granola, Granola Good for the Heart
Please don’t expect me to finish that little rhyme—if you’ve had granola you understand the digestive side effects. But let’s talk about the health benefits! The burst of energy to get you through the day! The whole grains! If you…
In Praise of Quickbread
There’s something elemental about baking your own bread. To some people it’s like building your own proton accelerator—sounds complicated and a bit dangerous. Not so! Quickbread is the answer, and from the time you scratch your head and think, “I…
Bread Batter
It’s mesmerizing, isn’t it? Can you imagine what’s being whipped around in the mixer? Pancake batter? Icing for a cake? Nope. Bread dough. This is the ultra-high hydration olive oil brioche from the book Tartine Bread. I mixed this up…
Friday is Pizza Day
Then to the good people of the land was it Friday. A dough ball shall be taken from the freezer and left to defrost on the warm top of the oven above the pilot light. Lo there will be increased…
Bread and Garden
First things first. Check out the newest sourdough ciabatta: This was a 12-hour ferment at room temperature with no second proof. I poured the dough out onto a floured board, folded letter-style, dimpled with my fingers to deflate the larger…
So It Goes
Thanks to Kurt Vonnegut for that three word world-weary summation of the state of everything. Now let’s get down to business. That wheat bread I thought was a sure disaster? I finally cut open a loaf this morning for breakfast…
Sometimes Things Don’t Work
I like to think I know the basics about bread. This weekend I decided to change my normal wheat sandwich bread recipe, a daily bread that’s become routine to make (boring). I want more whole wheat for health and taste…
Handmade Pizza
Crispy crust, gooey cheese, salty toppings, all served hot right from the oven. What’s not to like about pizza? Food technology and mass production, however, have turned what could be the most perfect self-contained meal into a mean joke—cardboard wan…
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