Hello bread-baking bunch,
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.
Tu B’Shvat Loaves
I didn’t grow up with this holiday, and it’s a quirky little one that people describe as “New Year for the Trees”. I’m not even sure what that means, but I like contemplating it, and I love trees. There are seven species that we eat to honor this holiday and the land: wheat, barley, pomegranate, olives, figs, dates, grapes. I got all seven species into these delectable loaves, and eating it feels like a mitzvah.
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.
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.