Greetings grain lovers,
I’m heading east to the Asheville Bread Festival in North Carolina this week, and I couldn’t be more excited! I’ve been wanting to attend this event for several years, as I love the miller who started it and she’s one of the people who helped revive the grain economy that we’re starting to see thrive. This week’s sandwich bread uses some of her malted barley. I’m keeping the menu pretty simple this week, since I’m only delivering bread until Wednesday.
This week’s bread offer:
Mama Bread
This week’s Mama bread is made with organic durum from Camas Country Mill. I’m working on a project for Lane Selman from the Culinary Breeding Network to make bread for an upcoming olive oil-tasting. Many of you know that several years ago, my family and I got to spend a summer on an Italian olive plantation in Abruzzo with good friends. It was one of those experiences that make life worth living, and I want to share a part of it with you by creating a bread that uses the kinds of grain they grew alongside the ancient olives on the plantation. Over the next few weeks, I plan on testing these grains until I am able to create a loaf that expresses the exuberance I felt while opening the old shutters of the old farmhouse and looking out to a patchwork of crops.
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 malted barley flour from Carolina Ground.
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 added flax seeds.
Frozen Plain or Marbled-Pumpernickel 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,
