Monthly Archives: October 2009

Why Discard Starter: A Mathematical View.

You see this question pop up all the time in sourdough discussions: “Why do I have to discard? I hate the idea of throwing anything away. Can’t I just keep feeding the starter?” Although reducing the waste we produce as … Continue reading

Posted in Muttering to Myself, Starting with your starter, Techniques and Tips | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Pane Siciliano

Our second Italian bread in The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Pane Siciliano is recipe #23 in the BBA Challenge. New in the process is the use of semolina flour, a flour made of durum wheat which is often used in making … Continue reading

Posted in BBA Challenge, Yeast Breads | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Sticky vs Tacky dough

For those who wonder how you can tell the difference between those two states of your dough, here’s a simple explanation with visuals that should clarify the differences. //

Posted in Techniques and Tips | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Pâte Fermentée

Pâte Fermentée is a French term that refers to a dough that is made before the bulk of the main bread dough is put together and allowed to mature or ‘ferment‘. By preparing a portion ahead of time, it can … Continue reading

Posted in Techniques and Tips, Yeast Breads | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Pain de Campagne

Pain Campagne (Country Bread) is recipe number  22 in The Bread Baker’s Apprentice and we’re now past the halfway mark in the full 43-recipe BBA Challenge. Despite the disappointment of the previous bread, Pain a l’Ancienne, I was looking forward … Continue reading

Posted in BBA Challenge, Yeast Breads | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments