Creme Brulee, Souffles, Eclairs and Cream Puffs may look enticing and taste so delicious, but there's something about bread that I prefer. Even my mother-in-law, who has become my most faithful taste-tester, says she enjoys the fresh baked breads the most. Thanks Yolande!
I love everything about bread baking beginning with the simplicity of the basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast. Nothing fancy. Nothing extravagant. Nothing that is hard to pronounce or difficult to find. While Peter Reinhart speaks of bread as transformational, alluding to its spiritual symbolism found in diverse religions, for me it's plain and simple. I love the entire process. Scooping and weighing. Mixing and kneading. Shaping and proofing. Baking--smelling--and eating.
Since nothing worthwhile in life comes easily, I also love the time and effort required. Bread baking demands patience and the willingness to plan your own precious time around the process. There's a seriousness and commitment that can't be denied. Without it, the process fails. For instance, if I don't feed my mother starter every five days, I have to start all over again. I love the fact that in my refrigerator right now, waiting for me, are a container of mother starter--good until Sunday--and a container of sourdough starter-- made yesterday from a bit of the mother starter and ready to be added to more flour, water, salt and yeast to become 3 or 4 sourdough baguettes.
I love everything about bread baking beginning with the simplicity of the basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast. Nothing fancy. Nothing extravagant. Nothing that is hard to pronounce or difficult to find. While Peter Reinhart speaks of bread as transformational, alluding to its spiritual symbolism found in diverse religions, for me it's plain and simple. I love the entire process. Scooping and weighing. Mixing and kneading. Shaping and proofing. Baking--smelling--and eating.
Since nothing worthwhile in life comes easily, I also love the time and effort required. Bread baking demands patience and the willingness to plan your own precious time around the process. There's a seriousness and commitment that can't be denied. Without it, the process fails. For instance, if I don't feed my mother starter every five days, I have to start all over again. I love the fact that in my refrigerator right now, waiting for me, are a container of mother starter--good until Sunday--and a container of sourdough starter-- made yesterday from a bit of the mother starter and ready to be added to more flour, water, salt and yeast to become 3 or 4 sourdough baguettes.
My next venture is to attempt Acme's Rustic Baguette from Maggie Glezer's book Artisan Baking. These are Glezer's favorite baguettes from the Acme Bread Company established in Berkeley, California in 1983. This recipe is considered to be at an intermediate level because it involves two separate pre-ferments. Now how exciting is that? I'm ready!
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