Artisan Bread Bakers

[piperdbh]

Out here, some people put ground mesquite pods in with the flour; it's a lot sweeter. We have carob trees (ST. John's Bread) out here too, I guess you could grind those pods up and throw them in for a coco-ish flavor...

I've made pumpernickel bread with cocoa powder in it, but I've never used carob powder. It doesn't make it taste chocolaty; it justs darkens the bread to look like pumpernickel.

[funlvnman]

I found a link to a Mother Earth News article on how to have bread dough available all the time. You mix a huge batch of dough, then let it sit in the fridge for up to two weeks!!! All you have to do is take out the desired amount of dough, shape it, let it rise for twenty minutes and then bake.

I haven't tried it myself but I like the idea.

I have made Italian style bread that you let rise in the fridge evernight. It's probably the best bread I've ever made. One time I learned that olive oil will dissolve tin foil overnight during one of my sessions. Ugh

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-...tes-A-Day.aspx

[Bugbear]

Living, breathing yoghurt. I like to use that instead of sour cream because it's more sour.

Milk is fine for sour dough, and it does make it more sour. I don't recall ever putting it in the starters that used the yeast from the environment.

It's not too difficult to distill small batches of water with a stock pot and a bowl or pan.

[The Guy in the Kilt at UC]

Every Christmas I make Potica for the Slovenian side of my family. It takes about 4 hours to make, but it's totally worth it.

http://users.kent.net/~rob/pot.htm

[ali8780]

oooo--I LOOVE baking bread! I have the best recipe for no-knead artisan bread that will knock you to your knees. Actually it was a nationally published recipe, so I guess I can't say that I have it.

Mmmm... I think I'll make some tonight.

Have you all come to the point where you hate store bought bread? Lately it just disgusts me, it tastes so much like chemicals. I guess I've turned into a bit of a bread snob, but once you've had homemade, there is just no going back!

[CDNSushi]

oooo--I LOOVE baking bread! I have the best recipe for no-knead artisan bread that will knock you to your knees. Actually it was a nationally published recipe, so I guess I can't say that I have it.

Well c'mon then. You can't just come out and make such an outlandish statement without backing it up. Not fair! Now that you've admitted to it, you must post the recipe!

[ali8780]

Well c'mon then. You can't just come out and make such an outlandish statement without backing it up. Not fair! Now that you've admitted to it, you must post the recipe!

Sorry, I was planning on it

Here is the recipe:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/...d&rsc=header_4

and here is a youtube tutorial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU

have fun! it's delish. And easy even for first timers.

[CDNSushi]

Sorry, I was planning on it

Here is the recipe:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/...d&rsc=header_4

Thanks for that. I'll give it a whirl. Seems like I have everything that I need to make it.

Sometimes that's a challenge here in the Far East. Since the locals have different consumption patterns from the West, oftentimes obtaining ingredients that are commonplace back in Canada or the U.S. (like buttermilk or molasses) just don't exist at all here (no, I'm dead serious about the molasses and buttermilk -- they seriously don't exist in this country -- most people don't even know what they are)... Even as far as bread goes, I think ingredients are rather expensive. If I want to make myself even a simple "artisan" loaf of bread, I can expect it to cost me roughly $4.50 in ingredients. (Which, is coincidentally about the same amount I'd pay for a similar loaf in a "French" bakery here). To be honest though, IS that expensive by Western standards? I've lost all conception of the value of money by N. American standards. I've lived in Japan too long now, earning local currency to know what things are like elsewhere...

For anyone who's curious, bags of bread in Japan are not sold by the loaf... First of all, your average supermarket is unlikely to sell anything but white bread (soft, cotton-like, generic, devoid of substance -- kinda like Wonderbread). They are sold in sets of 4,6 or 8 slices. They are all the same size -- the bag with 4 slices is the same as the bag with 8 slices, except the slices are twice as thick (so I suppose it's good if you want to make something with thick-sliced bread). The Japanese use those to make toast and spread it with butter, white granulated sugar and soybean powder (called "kinako"). The resulting concoction tastes a little bit like peanut butter (which is another virtually unknown substance here). The bag of 8 slices is much like Wonderbread in size, texture and taste.

Anyway, one such bag of bread will run you ¥150, or, about $1.50 Again, I'm not sure about things "back home" but something tells me that's kind of expensive.

I think I'll stop writing now. Somewhere I do believe I had a point but I've forgotten what it was and I just got caught in my senseless ramblings. My apologies.

[ali8780]

If I want to make myself even a simple "artisan" loaf of bread, I can expect it to cost me roughly $4.50 in ingredients. (Which, is coincidentally about the same amount I'd pay for a similar loaf in a "French" bakery here). To be honest though, IS that expensive by Western standards? I've lost all conception of the value of money by N. American standards. I've lived in Japan too long now, earning local currency to know what things are like elsewhere...

Yes, that's expensive! I've estimated that I can make a loaf of bread for about a quarter.

[funlvnman]

oooo--I LOOVE baking bread! I have the best recipe for no-knead artisan bread that will knock you to your knees. Actually it was a nationally published recipe, so I guess I can't say that I have it.

Mmmm... I think I'll make some tonight.

Have you all come to the point where you hate store bought bread? Lately it just disgusts me, it tastes so much like chemicals. I guess I've turned into a bit of a bread snob, but once you've had homemade, there is just no going back!

Never be ashamed of demanding quality in your life. Settling for less is how we wind up with all the crap in our lives.


And you're not a snob, you are a connoisseur of fine foods. There's a better term but I can't remember it.