Hello good people,
Well, Passover is officially over, and I’m currently picking myself up off the floor after a rager of bagels and cookies. What a celebration of the end of a celebration!
In all seriousness, I actually loved abstaining from leavened bread and goods this past week. I used it as a time to get to know my grain stores a little better by transforming them into homemade matzah. Each one was more flavorful and surprising than the last. Without the complex flavors of the fermentation to push through, the aromas and nuances of each type of wheat really shone through. I ground each grain fresh and baked the batches in under 18 minutes, as prescribed. I’m considering using my new matzah recipe to test the flavors of each new bag of grain I get this year. That way, by next spring I’ll be practiced enough to offer matzah to you, too.
I had the chance this past week to continue my bagel research, too. Plenty more stories about that to come.
In the meantime, this week’s bread offer:
Mama Bread
This week’s Mama bread is made with Chiddam Blanc de Mars, a heritage wheat grown by Farmer Mai Nugyen in Sonoma County, California. She chose to grow this variety of wheat, once prized for French baguette, as a nod to her mother’s bahn mi. It’s originally from England, but because of its baguette reputation, won popularity in France and was first documented there in 1864. Like the name suggests, this wheat is white in color, and Mai describes the flavors as being of walnuts, pecans, a note of honey, and—when milled—a touch of sage. You can decide for yourself in these lovaves made 100% with all Chiddam Blanc. I even fed my starter on this grain all week to prepare to make these fragrant loaves. I only have a limited amount, so if you want to try this batch of grain, let me know soon.
Organic Sandwich Loaves
The sandwich bread this week is made with White Lightening from Cairnspring Mill in Skagit Valley, Washington. The aim of this mid-sized mill is to source local grains and make flour that is fresh and nutritious. The head miller, Kevin Morse, explained to me how a conglomerate industrial-sized mill turns a single batch of grain into twenty-four different products. At his mill, he employs four of these processes to make fresh, consistent flour that bakers love to use. His flour, which bakes something like all purpose, retains far more inherent flavor and nourishment, plus this mill helps our local economy in the Pacific Northwest by supporting nearby farmers. To this bread, I added a bit of purple Egyptian malted barley that I milled from Palouse Heritage. They’re an innovative farm in Eastern Washington that preserves regional heritage wheat varieties.
Levain Crackers
The goal is to waste nothing in the kitchen, and that’s how these crackers were born. These are made with the spent levain that I save from feeding my starter each day. To the mix, I always add a little bran back, which I purchase from millers whenever I buy high-extraction flour. This is my way of keeping the whole grain in my family’s diet even though we have bits of high extraction breads here and there.
Frozen Plain Bagels
As you know, I developed a bagel recipe with bagel baker Jenna Legge, and my family has been eating these naturally-leavened fresh flour treats like crazy. We slice them fresh and put them in the freezer to toast quick on busy mornings. These are bagels I feel truly good about feeding my family on a daily basis. They are made with the highest quality fresh, sifted flour from Camas Country Mill in Junction City, Oregon. Jenna and I have even talked about developing a 100% whole grain version, so stay tuned. In the meantime, you can order packs of frozen bagels through me and I can deliver with your order. They are $8 for a pack of six frozen, pre-sliced bagels. If you’d prefer to get them fresh or want more variety of flavors, visit her website and store here.
To place an order, email me to let me know what you want and what day in the coming week you would prefer to get it. You are always welcome to drop by for espresso & morning toast, or we can work out delivery or pick-up via email. I have a limited amount of each item, so the earlier in the week you let me know, the better your chances of getting what you want. For the more spontaneously-minded types, drop me a line whenever and I’ll let you know what I have on hand. Oh, and if you want to pay for the bread on-line, here is the link. Of course, I’m always open to trade…
Savor your week with madcap delight and untamed gratitude,
