“The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living.” – Dione Lucas
“Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love.” – Craig Claiborne
“All sorrows are less with bread.” – Miguel de Cervantes
Yum! Homemade bread cooking in the oven and fresh from the oven! What a wonderful smell! For those of us who grew up in a home where it was baked regularly, we can almost evoke that smell just thinking about it. Did you know that smell is the most powerful sense? My earliest memory includes smell. Then, when you put good clean butter on that warm slice—well, what more can be said other than that first bite—-!
I’ve been practicing my bread making skills once again. Thought I knew what I needed to know until I began working with whole grains and grinding flour. I am getting much better at making soaker and biga. Yes, those are whole grain bread terms.
Whole grain, freshly ground from the seed are so dense they soak up much more moisture than white flour. Whole grain bread is much heavier. It takes more to help it rise and have a softer texture that most of us are accustomed to in our bread. Most wheat bread we eat is a combination of white and whole wheat. The soaker and biga method allow for the heaviness. The soaker is one half of a loaf. It is made with flour salt and milk or yogurt or buttermilk. It then sits for at least 12 hours. The biga is the other half of the loaf. It consists of flour instant yeast and pure water. This also sits for at least 12 hours but in the refrigerator. The chemical reactions of the two are interesting to observe when they are then kneaded together. Makes a beautiful textured loaf.
Baked a whole wheat loaf yesterday. Today, trying a white wheat with multiple seeds! First rising now. Thinking about that pure butter melting on that first slice and the first bite! Pure joy!