Hello bread lovers,
What are you up to in February? We’re still pretty Covid shut-in around here, so my family is watching a lot of Netflix. We’d never seen Community, and we decided to start on season one. I can’t believe this one almost escaped me, and it’s providing a lot of laughs during a dark, cold winter indoors. We’re also catching up on movies that have to do with Black History. We particularly liked One Night in Miami, and after reading To Shape a New World, I’m going to delve into MLK/FBI. Other than that, thank goodness for hikes at the coast. Let me know what you’re up to!
Here’s what’s on the menu this month:
Mama Bread
This month’s Mama bread is made with organic red wheat from Camas Country Mill with the inclusion of freshly flaked oats from Hayden in Arizona. Several years ago, I got to visit Hayden and was impressed with their operation. I connected a lot with the owner Emma, and on my way out the door, she handed me a bag of oats. We’d bonded the day before over our shared love of the flavor of freshly flaked oats. Flakers are expensive, but a good investment in the long run, and Hayden carries beautiful ones here! You can also use it to flake other grains, such as purple barley and emmer wheat, and freshly pressed grains retain a lot of the flavorful, nutritious oils in the finished product.
Naturally Leavened Challah
One of my favorite weekly rituals is making challah bread on Friday for my family’s Shabbat dinner. I always use stone-ground flour, usually a little sifted, and source a special honey for the week’s treat. This bread also has an abundance of local eggs, and is either swirled with cinnamon & currants or topped with honey & sesame seeds. These are rich loaves packed with beloved ingredients to make a sacred place of the table.
Organic Currant & Toasted Fennel Loaves
This bread is subtle with the aroma of toasted fennel, and I’m loving it in the afternoons with butter and shaved chocolate. I use a base of T85 Sequoia wheat from Cairnspring Mills. This type of flour basically means that 85% of the ash content is still in place after processing, while 15% of the larger particles were sieved out after milling. Sequoia is grown by a Washington grower who dry farms his land and helps regenerate soil through as few inputs as he can manage. While not certified organic, I vouch for this flour as a sustainable option when needing something that acts very much like white, all-purpose flour. To these loaves, I’m adding a bit of malted barley flour from Tuality Plains in Forest Grove, Oregon. The barley adds a hint of cereal sweetness and boosts the browning capabilities.
Shokupan
My kids are teens now, and as such, their tastes are growing and changing. One thing they’ve always asked for is soft white sandwich bread, and after a stint of watching Midnight Diner my penchant for wanting this kind of bread is strong now, too. Back in the early aughts, I worked on the Saveur 100 issue and fact checked a story about Shokupan, Japan’s version of Wonder Bread, but better. I decided to try my hand at this soft & fluffy Japanese milk bread and see what happens. I’ll keep you posted.
Seedy Einkorn & Rye
This bread is the newest in my repertoire. It dawned on me that I could use my einkorn starter to make a mostly-rye bread and I decided to give it a go. Wow, am I glad that I did. This is a labor intensive bread, as I grind all of the grains myself and diligently toast and soak the seeds, but it’s worth it! The rye comes from Tuality Plains and the organic einkorn, from Bluebird Grain Farms. I pack it with organic flax seeds and Anson Mills Sea Island benne seeds. I also include sprouted pumpkin seeds. As one friend put it, a slice of this bread is a meal unto itself.
Roasted Garlic Focaccia
I roast a lot of vegetables around here, and while I’m at it, I’ve taken to throwing in a packet of garlic to roast, too. I cut the top off a whole head of garlic, drizzle the whole thing with olive oil, and wrap it in foil. It makes a tight little package that roasts in about 45 minutes. I’m adding it to focaccia dough and topping with mozzarella and parmesean cheese. A comforting meal unto itself!
I am happy to share any of my formulas with you if you reach out. I hope whatever you are baking is inspiring your day!
With delight and gratitude,
Other news from the world of grain:
–This guide by the NY Times Cooking about how to make bagels is fun to follow.
-I loved reading this article about a bucatini shortage during Covid. It was one of those pieces of food writing that manage to have a lot of levity, while also being quite informative.
-For information about the Flour Hour experience on Airbnb, go here.