Tuscany

Ciao from Tuscany

It has been an amazing trip so far, its warm, green and listening to Italian is absolutely fantastic. I have been working hard in the sun and its a good way to think about everything possible. Being in the vineyard by myself weeding and trimming the vines from new shoots is absolutely healing. Working alone also gives me the chance to get away from my host who im sure is crazy. Pretty sure she has borderline personality disorder, which is not anything fun to deal with. She thinks im Russian who was born in America even after so many times that I tell her that Im Bosnian. Just Crazy!!It helps that I am here with two other helpers, Ching and Stacy.These ladies are fantastic and really enjoy working outside as well as making jokes and having a good time.
Im working in a small town called Montepulciano, known for its wine and Lemoncelo. Here are some pictures for those who are curious of my travels.

  

Enjoy and I will update soon. Ciao

Measure me not

Multiethnic Batard

A recent occurrence with me is the no measure technique. Im done!! More power to you if you are doing it. I dont have time to measure and honestly im trying to get in the flow of it so that i do everything by feel.

Here is a couple of loafs I did last night.

Flour:
Hand full of Teff, Buckwheat, Barley, whole spelt, white spelt, wheat, what husk/bran, and three hand fulls of white.

Other: approximate measure
Half cup of sesame seeds, half cup of poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, tablespoon of salt.

Culture: approximate measure
Table spoon of raw milk, three cups mature starter at 90%-120% hydration (just guessing)

Mix for 12 minutes let rest, add salt mix for five, let rest for 45min. Fold every half hour, shape and put in fridge overnight.

Approximately a 12 hour proof at about 50F.
Oven at 520F, 10min with some steam and 15 min with no steam.

So tasty, it was perfect!!!

 

 

The Wand Chooses the Wizard.

Always experimenting with different ways to hold the lame.  Trying a new approach with more of a backwards swoop.  Here is some bread I baked today.

40% Maine Grains Whole Wheat.

Bread projects for tomorrow. 

Can't Stop Won't Stop.

Baking Boules.

Bake Storm and Ride.

Obligations?  Where can this night take me?  Rain and cold weather are coming.  My one speed, fixed gear bicycle takes me everywhere I need to go.  Fill my Bailey Works Citi Pack with a 12 case of beer and truck it home.  Build and bake. Morning is coming, only hours away.

While You Were Sleeping.

Whole Wheat version of Rye Build with an overnight retard.

Mixing+Coffee&Toast.

A glimpse of my operation at home.

Scratch Baking Co.

Had an awesome bake last night.  Here's my favorite bread to mix, shape, bake, and most of all eat.  MICHE!

Rye Build

My boss Allison at Scratch lent me guidance with configuring this formula.  I'm beginning to better understand how to achieve the flavor profile I'm seeking.  For this, I wanted a sour loaf with a good tang.  I've been doing a lot of experimenting with using straight seed culture, but by creating a build I was able to preferment more of the flour and still achieve a strong dough.  I used a medium grind organic rye flour from Maine Grains and King Arthur Bakers Classic (organic) white.  This turned out so well I have a Maine Grains whole wheat version in the works this very moment.

Hearty Rye

Taking a day off of whole wheat.  Here's a 70% Maine Grains Organic Rye.

Formula:
Maine Grains Organic Rye 350g (70%)
King Arthur Sir Galahd 150g (30%)
Sea Salt 10g (2%)
Starter 200g (40%)
Water 350g (70%)

Mixing:
30 minute autolyse (leaven incorporated)
Stir in salt

Folding/Shaping:
3 folds on half hour
20 minute pre shape
Shape like country loaf from Tartine book, then make round
Risen in bread banneton

Baking:
Baked at 500 for 45-50 mins on hearth at Scratch Baking Co.

Maine Grains

Here is another go at 100% whole grain.  This time I used entirely Maine Grains flour from their Skowhegan Mill and upped the leaven amount.  Started out to be safe at 70% hydration, looked stiff so I added 10g more water to make it 72%.  It became so extensible from the long autolyse though, I practically lost all hope.  I heavily floured a kitchen towel and placed it in my basket, also dusted the exposed underside of the loaf in attempts to "dry it out".  I had some errands to run in town on my bike today and it sat in its final shape for nearly 4 hours.  The flavor is right on actually.  I'm almost there! I just need one of those wicker baskets with a couche lining, and maybe a shorter autolyse with only 70% hydration..

Formula:
250g Maine Grains Rye (50%)
250g Maine Grains WW (50%)
360g Water (72%)
200g 100% Hydration Starter (40%)
10g Sea Salt (2%)

Mixing:
Overnight autolyse of flour and water (2-3 mins)
Stir in Leaven and salt (5 mins)

Folding and Shaping:
6 folds on the quarter hour
15 minute preshape (tight)
Heavy hands and tight final shape into a round
Proof in well floured basket

Baking:

Lodge Cast Iron Dual Cooker
500 for 25, 450 additional 25 with top removed

100% Whole Grain

Attempting to make an overnight autolyse, 100% whole grain sourdough bread with the simple ingredients of flour, water, and salt. This was not a success...Maybe the dough fermented at too cool a temperature?  Thinking of increasing the leaven percentage..Any thoughts??

Formula:
400g King Arthur Whole Wheat (80%)
100g Arrowhead Mills Organic Rye (20%)
400g Water (80%)
150g Starter (30%)
10g Sea Salt (2%)

Mixing:
Overnight Autolyse with flour and water.
Stir in culture and salt.
3 hour (bulk) ferment with folds on the half hour
20 minute pre shape
3 hour final shape

Baking:
Baked on hearth ovens at work, 500 for 30-40 mins

60% Whole Grain

Conjured up this loaf of bread today.  Experimenting with a few different flour blends lately, hydration amounts have been up and down.  Pretty happy with this formula, might scale back on the white a bit and use Maine Grains 86% extraction in place and try to get hydration between 75-78%.

Scaling:
40% King Arthur Sir Galahad
40% Aurora/Maine Grains Whole Wheat
20% Maine Grains Rye
30% Leaven
2% Sea Salt
73% Hydration

Mixing:
45 minute autolyse(with leaven incorporated)
Stir in salt
3 folds on the half hour
30 minute preshape
4 hour final shape

Baking:
Lodge cast iron at 500 for 25 mins, 450 for additional 20-30 mins with top removed

Chazuettes

Baguettes

Whole Wheat Worries

I recently purchased a bag of flour from a local farm that had more chaff than usual and have been struggling with making whole wheat loaves. After sifting the flour, I wound up with about half of it being unusable germ and bulk that would only make a thick loaf for soup or hardy sandwiches. For the airy breads I want, I've had to use a mixture of King Arthur unbleached all purpose and the bulky whole wheat. I found that between 13 and 17 percent unsifted whole wheat was a prime mixture for a full and somewhat uniform crumb. 

The Solution is Dillution

200 grams ripe starter

557 grams water

865 grams white

138 grams unsifted whole wheat

18 grams salt

In a bowl was mixed 543 grams of water and the full starter. Then, pre-combined flour on top and gently mixed with a wooden spoon. Let mixture sit for an hour and added 14 grams of water and all the salt. Folded every hour for 3 hours and let sit covered at 60 degrees(f) for 9 hours. Spread on floured surface, quartered, shaped, and sit in floured couche for 2.5 hours before throwing into a 500 degree(f) oven with water thrown on the bottom. Baked until golden brown. Smothered with local raw butter, sprinkled with salt and cracked pepper, delicious.