Farmers Market Month, Day 7: Bread

[rachelmanija]

I made bread from this recipe: My Mother's Peasant Bread. It was so easy, not a hassle as I wasn't planning to go anywhere anyway, and quite fascinating to do. I used a single two-quart bowl as I didn't have a one-quart. (The recipe says that's fine.)



After the second rising, it felt resilient, elastic, almost velvety, and somehow alive when I poked it, like some sea creature. Only dry rather than slimy.

It was a little doughy when I first sliced it, so I popped it back in the oven for five minutes and then it came out perfect:



The inside is light and fluffy, the crust is chewy, and the flavor is a pleasant, non-tangy bread-flavor. And that is exactly how I like my bread. I had some with butter, and some with browned butter/brown sugar.



It was so good that I had another slice with black sesame spread, and that was AMAZING.



I may never buy bread again.

Comments

[graydon]

There are a bunch of fancy breads -- pure rye, extra-chewy whole wheat stuff, various "ancient grains" -- where the trick is to rise in a refrigerator. It can take a few days, but the reduced metabolic rate on the yeast makes some things possible that won't work at room temperature.