Hello bread and grain friends,
My kitchen has been a flurry of experimentation this past month. I’ve been getting really into making cholent and other shabbat stews. I put them in the slow cooker on Friday night and we dip out the delicious, rich stew all day on Saturday, leaving me with nothing to do but rest. Man, oh man, my ancestors sure got some things right. Of course, I need lots of bread to sop up these rich meals. So, I’m making plenty of what’s listed below.
Here’s what’s on the menu this month:
Mama Bread
This month’s Mama bread is made with Lonesome Whistle Maris Widgeon. This is a heritage wheat coming from the British Isles, and it had traditional double use for food and also roof thatching. I love the soft, complex flavors that come through, even with sourdough fermentation. Some batches, I’ll mix with Cairnspring T85 Organic Artisan Bread flour if I want something lighter.
Whole Wheat & Rye Porridge bread
I accidentally found myself with a bag of rye flakes, so I adapted an oat porridge bread into rye, and came up with this. It has a tender crumb that makes for good sandwiches.
Almond, Fennel & Raisin Hearth Loaves
The idea for this bread came from leftover ingredients from my husband’s yearly fruit cake explorations, plus a stash of wild fennel seeds in the back of my spice cabinet. I added a bit of durum flour just for fun, and I’m enjoying these flavors so much.
Sesame Einkorn
I got a new batch of Einkorn grain and I’ve been playing with it to figure out the hydration of the new harvest. In the meantime, I’m craving that alluring sesame crunch. I grind the grains and toast and soak the seeds the night before, and it’s so worth it! The einkorn comes from Bluebird Grain Farms and the sesame is Anson Mills Sea Island benne seeds.
With delight and gratitude,
Other news from the world of grain:
–Asheville Bread Festival will be back in April!
– I am hosting a monthly Zoom meeting as a free resource for all bakers who want to ask questions and share ideas. It will be the first Sunday of each month, and you can join the by going to this link. Hope to see you there!
-For information about the Flour Hour experience on Airbnb, go here.