Bread, bread, glorious bread! I love bread that has a crispy crust and a soft chewy crumb and I've found it in ABin5. ABin5 stands for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. This is a great book and I recommend it to anyone who loves bread.
I was raised by a mother who loves the breads from her childhood. This is the bread that came from the local Italian and Jewish bakeries where she grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She has passed this passion on to her children.
I have found this type of bread almost impossible to find. There was one bakery in San Diego where you could buy authentic Italian breads, rolls and cookies, but that was about it. Now, that I live in a rural part of Colorado on the Western Slope it is an impossible task.
Then one day I came across an article in Mother Earth News that outlined how to make delicious artisan bread in five minutes a day without having to allow time for rising or kneading. I thought it couldn't be that easy, but it was! I made my first loaf and couldn't believe the results. The smell, the crunch and the taste were fabulous and all from my own oven! Even factoring in the altitude issues here the result was great.
The biggest surprise of all was DH's response. This is a guy whose idea of good bread is Wonder! I was sure he would hate the crisp crust and the chewiness of the interior, but boy was I wrong. I'm asked almost everyday if I've made anymore of that bread...lol! I even started making it in a loaf pan vs. free-form to make "neater" sandwiches for the big guy.
It also makes great pizza. I make a traditional thin crust for myself and Julie and a thicker Sicilian style for Corky. Everybody is happy!
Now, I just came across another method similar to this one to make an organic, no yeast /no knead sourdough bread. This is also a wet dough that has endless possibilities. I found this recipe in my favorite magazine MaryJanesFarm (www.maryjanesfarm.org). This is a magazine devoted to organic gardening, cooking and living. I just love it and recommend you check it out!
Well, that's probably enough "waxing poetic" about bread for one day. Besides, I have a loaf of bread to bake!
3 comments:
That is great. I just won that cookbook from http://kitchengirljo.blogspot.com/ should be here soon. Thanks for the tip on Mary Jane's Farm no-yeast bread. I will check it out today. That is my only drawback with the ABin5 is that I have an allergy to commercial yeast (one of my boys also). I have been anxious to see how I can modify it with wild yeast/sourdough. Thanks.
I just because a tasty kitchen friend of yours! I also just found Mary Janes magazine! Loved it! I'll have to keep an eye on what you're doing now! Sounds like you have a real wanderlust experience lately! Happy late birthday! My 51st is in June. Karen
I love fresh bread! Usually when I bake bread at home it's challah, but lately I've been tempted to try some artisan breads, too. Fresh sourdough and salted butter is my weakness. ;)
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