Hello bread and grain friends,
Wow– Asheville Bread Fest was wonderful! I got to see many friends and colleagues I hadn’t seen in years, plus make some new friends along the way. I spent a good deal of the festival with Erin McKenney and learned more about sourdough ecology than I thought possible. What an inspiring woman!
On the home front, my book is close to being finished, and I got to teach an einkorn class this past weekend.
Time to bake some bread!
Here’s what’s on the menu this month:
Mama Bread
This month’s Mama bread is made with a variety of flours from Hayden Flour Mills in Arizona. I love this mill, and when I saw that they were offering a baker’s bundle of different flours they developed with various bakers, I couldn’t help myself. What fun it’s been making my foundation loaves with nuances of flavor. Also, Emma Zimmerman (co-founder of Hayden and lovely human being) has a book out called The Miller’s Daughter, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!
Rosemary 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. During my class this past weekend, someone brought me fresh, flowering rosemary, and then asked if it could go in einkorn bread. Absolutely! I’m going to do just that. The einkorn comes from Camas Country Mill.
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:
-As mentioned above, this new book by the co-founder of Hayden Flour Mills is an exciting addition to the grain lover’s library. Check out The Miller’s Daughter by Emma Zimmerman.
-The Kneading Conference is happening this summer from July 26th to 28th. Keep a lookout on the Maine Grains site for more details.
– 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.