Hello bread-baking bunch,
I am just back from the Asheville Bread Festival, and I’m full of delight and inspiration and new threads of knowledge to pull on. What they’re doing for their local grain economy is amazing and it feels good to get together with community and affirm all that we’re working towards. It’s a messy time in the world, and we’re all just holding hope that we can shape it into something.
Here’s what’s going on in my kitchen this month:
Mama Bread
This month’s Mama bread is made with various flours I brought home from Asheville. I had the good fortune to attend a class with Dave Bauer from Farm & Sparrow and it was…meaningful. Jay Bost was also in attendance and if this duo doesn’t get you excited about corn, where is your spark? They both imbue purpose into our relationship with this misunderstood and mismanaged grass seed and their passion will bring you back to life. I’m using one of the recipes that was shared in the class to make a wheat bread that incorporates corn grits. The wheat I’m using is from Carolina Ground, and the corn is Tuxpeno from Farm & Sparrow.
Sesame Einkorn
This year has been all about einkorn and these loaves haven’t left my side. This month, I’m making them with sesame is Anson Mills Sea Island benne seeds. My three favorite sources for einkorn flour are Bluebird, Carolina Ground, and Maine Grains.
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 met Laila at the Asheville Bread Fest, and I find her Instagram very approachable and informative for all of us home bakers. Give her a follow!
-If you’ve been on one of my bread tours, chances are I brought you to one of Portland’s most unique bakery pop-ups—Bialy Bird. I adore this place because the food delights me and the staff are all so kind and considerate to all the various different people I bring in. They just got their brick & mortar and they’re doing a Go Fund Me to build it out. Consider giving, even just a little, to help bring this amazing bakery into our community LINKTKTK
-Did you know that I have a community page? It can be accessed here, and there, 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.