Here’s what’s going on in my kitchen this month:
Mama Bread
This month’s Mama bread is made with Elwha Spelt from Moon Family Farms. Years ago, I spent an afternoon on this farm and the only way to describe the care and dedication they put into stewarding their land is to tell you that farmer Garrett called me over to the side of one of his many fields to show me an ant hill he’d been watching. He grew up on the farm and knows every inch of the acres and acres like it’s a genuine part of his family. I’m due back for another visit, but in the meantime, Jessica & Garrett and their two little ones were in Portland for a grain event, and they brought me a little bit of spelt to tide me over.
Sesame Einkorn
This has become a staple in my home, and my favorite place to get einkorn is Bluebird. I buy it whole and grind it the night before I’m mixing my dough. The sesame is Anson Mills Sea Island benne seeds or sometimes I splurge on Daphnis and Chloe Evros heirloom sesame seeds because it’s a nod to the traveler in me, even when I can’t leave.
Challah
I love making Challah on Fridays and putting it out reverently on the dinner table, watching it whittle down as my family joyfully takes bites with our Shabbat dinner. This is the best way to end a busy week, and the loveliest threshold to a mandated time of rest. I feel so much gratitude in these small moments. My favorite recipe lately is from Breaking Breads by Uri Scheft of Breads Bakery in NYC (also in Tel Aviv). I’ve been making it lately with Glacier Peak flour from Cairnspring Mill.
Other news from the world of grain:
-I have an article about the earliest origins of bread in the new issue of Eaten Magazine. If you don’t know about this fabulous food history magazine, I highly recommend, and I’m very proud to be part of it. Grab a copy here.
-I have a new community page, which can be accessed here. On this page, I’ve provided some videos demonstrating how I feed my starter.
-Here is where you can access my Flour Hour to learn the history of flour and ask questions about what our choices are today.