Hello bread lovers,
Here’s what’s on the menu this month:
Mama Bread
This month’s Mama bread is made with organic spelt from Camas Country Mill in Oregon. Spelt is a close relative of wheat, and was first used by the Greeks. They considered it a gift from the goddess Demeter. People who have a hard time digesting common wheat (Triticum aestivum) report better results with Spelt (Triticum spelta). It bakes like a dream, and I love the way the loaves turn out with this grain.
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.
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.
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:
-Culinary Breeding Network is hosting Grains Week! I’m excited to present a session about the history of flour, and equally excited to attend as many workshops as I can. Don’t miss it! Sign up here for free.
-Check out this amazing new book Mother Grains by Roxanna Jullapat.
-So many good new books from the grain world this month. I’m eagerly awaiting my copy of Southern Ground by Jennifer Lapidus. Grab a copy here.
-For information about the Flour Hour experience on Airbnb, go here.