wild yeast? starters? What is a good plan of action?

[KyleW]

I have the book @home. I'll check it out. They have no such rising vessels @KA.

[Kimmie]

OMG, KyleW,

Lucky you! The action plan I posted previously is from Steve Sullivan. I made his recipe a few times and I must tell you that I really liked it. Try'n plan to make a pizza first, saving a little bit of dough for the first starter. Then follow the recipe...and look at the pics in the book. I'm sure you've seen his "couronne" anyway.

BTW, have you ever tried Danielle Forestier's French baguette? I did, all by hand! You might want to attack that beast after your classes!

[Kimmie]

Dear KyleW,

Went at Barnes & Nobles (on the net) and found the following, pursuant to thebighat's comment on "Crust & Crumb".

Go here for more

It's a little treasure!

[thebighat]

Crust and Crumb is more than a little treasure. I bought a lot of bread books that made not much sense. But when I started making breads from crust and crumb I really learned something. Made the Royal Crown Tortano from Artisan Baking today. I didn't cut one before I left work, but they looked beautiful.

[KyleW]

All right already
I just bought it

[Kimmie]

Hope you didn't feel we were ganging-up on you! Because it wasn't the case!

[KyleW]

Phew! For a minute there I thought I was being made to do things against my will


As I said before, It's all or nothing with me. I am now on a wild yeast mission!

[thebighat]

Terrific. Now come back to us in a week with the demeanor of a frightened, penitent sinner, with gorgeous loaves of barm in your arms, and all will be forgiven. Trust me.

[KyleW]

If I get Crust & Crumb tomorrow it will be a week. If I use Nancy Silverton's method it will take two. In either case i will be penitent and I have always been a sinner.

I really and truly appreciate all the information and encouragement I get here

[Kimmie]

[quote] ]wild yeast mission... [/QUOTE

Now that's pretty funny KyleW!

[thebighat]

Just be aware that the first loaf of barm you bake from Reinhart's book is only a hint of what that bread can be when the refrigerated starter is mature. I made a sponge today from mine that tripled in three hours. Talk about active. Another book with a lot of info--The Bread Builders by Daniel Wing and Alan Scott.

[KyleW]

Thanks TBH. I had to leave the office before the book arrived. An=ti-ci-pa-aa-tion, it's makin' me wait....

[Kimmie]

I'm in love again...with Steve Sullivan.

I had a long weekend in front of me and all this talk about bread...I made a pizza Saturday and kept a piece of dough for Sullivan's first starter.

Everything worked according to plan, by golly at noon yesterday I was putting my beautiful "couronne" in the oven. And 45 minutes later came out a picture perfect 2 pounder couronne, with it's pearl necklace on top. When the loaf came out of the oven, it still had little crackling sounds. This one is not actually mine but sure looked like it.



And the crumb? Creamy white with large irregular holes.

I had tried this recipe a couple of years earlier and it hadn't turned out so well.

The conditions were probably just perfect, my kitchen was at 84 degrees!

That was such a satisfying experience. Thanks Steve Sullivan for sharing such a gorgeous recipe. I had a wonderful weekend!




[ July 11, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]

[Plum]

Pleased it went so well, Kimmie!

You all might enjoy reading and article by Jeffrey Steingarten "J..S..goes on a year long quest for the primal bread" in Vogue, November 1990, which I just read in the Penguin Book of Food & Drink, Ed. Paul Levy. It's an entertaining account of his voyage from Mess "sizzling and seething over the stove and running into those little holes in the gas burners" to Bliss "Most days the bread is more than good enough to eat, and some days it is so good that we eat nothing else".

[Kimmie]

When are your classes starting, KyleW?