Hello bread and grain friends,
I’m at that time of year where I’m clearing my house of most bread products to get ready for 8 days of unleavened bread; aka bread of affliction; aka matzah. It started with a promise to my grandmother that I’d keep at least some of our Jewish traditions alive. I told her, no matter what, I’d celebrate Pesach (Passover) with my kids. And I have. And I do. In keeping with tradition, I refrain from unleavened bread during this time, which has afforded this sourdough baker (me) a yearly pause to reflect on the deeper meanings of leavened versus unleavened bread in our lives. I’m sure I’ll get to writing more pointedly about these very reflections someday.
For now, the first bread on my list this month is matzah because starting this Wednesday, it’s all I’ll be eating, bread-wise, for a week. I’ll make a bit of emmer matzah, and probably rotate through a couple different kinds of grain before it’s over. I’ll also buy a box or two of the perfectly square, dry speckled sheets I grew up on. Because chicken livers on matzah is kind of my nostalgic version of, say, bologna on wonder bread.
Coming out of Passover, I’ll be craving my favorites, which these days are Einkorn-Sesame bread and challah.
I hope you all enjoy your season of emerging from darkness. What do you celebrate? And how?
Here’s what’s on the menu this month:
Matzah
Every year, I use some of my best flours to make matzah for our Passover meal and the whole week of breakfasts and non-leavened bread baskets on our family table. This year, I’m using emmer, einkorn & barley. These are the flours that my ancestors probably worked with in their Pesach meals, and this is my nod to my roots.
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.
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.
Other news from the world of grain:
–Asheville Bread Festival will be back in April and I’ll be attending! Let me know if you’ll be there and we can grab a treat together.
– 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.