Updates On First Breads

When I say "1rst Breads", I'm referring to the tests I'm doing for breads that may be offered at the Lunch By Nature - Natural Life Cafe. The pictures I added to my first post of the blog are of 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf, baked on Monday the 20th - - - I think around noon (that's the bread, on the table - - I'm the one in the chair, with granddaughter Amelia). After the first 24 hours I placed the remaining loaf (there wasn't much left of the first one) in a plastic bag, sealed with a twist tie, to test the duration of freshness we could expect from it. Here it is the 23rd, a full 3 days, and it's still very good. I won't say the loaf is like fresh baked, but I could eat a slice of it and not choke on dry bread crumbs, or look like a cat with peanut butter in its mouth. (that cracks me up). Toasting a piece of it brought it right back to "good as new", with a rich wheat taste. Another option to increase the life of the loaf is to freeze a portion. Probably then, it might be smart to pre-slice it.

I'm very happy with last nights Sour Corn Rye - - even with my mistake. The recipe called to mix the boiled corn meal with the wet ingredients before adding to the dry ingredients. I failed to do this, and then wasn't able to totally break down all of the little clumps of corn meal. I've noticed 2 things - #1, I didn't get this "amazing" gold (gold from the corn meal) 'break' in the side of the bread the author said I would - - - -that doesn't bother me. #2, it hasn't affected the taste - - - which is awesome, because otherwise I would be very irritated at myself for wasting all of that time. I purposely bit right into one of the small spots of corn meal, and noticed nothing "unsavory". In fact, the rye taste of this bread is incredible. It has a lingering taste in your mouth that you will not find unsatisfactory. At my first bakery, Allred's Breads, we made what was called New York Deli Rye, from Peter Reinhart's "Bread Baker's Apprentice". It was made from a mother-starter (barm) that had to be kept alive. Then you had to do 2 days worth of fermentation. I honestly have to say, at least on the first day with this loaf ( the sour corn rye), that I don't see the need to go through all of that to get a fantastic rye. This one stands up. I'd like to try adding some small-diced onion. OH YEAH!

I'm on Phase 2, Day 3, of my seed culture that will eventually make my mother-starter. (Lord, help me). It's doing very well. It's a wild-yeast starter .......no commercial yeast will be added. If I'm not mistaken, this is sourdough. right? So far the only ingredients are whole wheat flour and unsweetened pineapple juice. I tasted it this morning - it's gonna be great! Lots of activity in the culture - - - showing good signs of fermentation.

Tonight - whole wheat pitas and whole wheat bagels!! Wish me luck.