Ready, Breadie?

Freshly Baked Pain Au Levain Up Close & Personal

January 6th, 2007

Kevin,
I had an idea yesterday about doing a bread baking thing/ongoing project/whatever with you and maybe Beth, but then I realized I was already over my head with commitments so I didn't tell you about it. Oops.

So what do you do when you come up with an idea for a new project that's so exciting you can't get it out of your head--despite knowing there is no way you have the time to take it on because you're already behind on absolutely everything (and lambing and gardening season haven't even started)? If you're me, and one of your mottos is MoreMoreMore, you say Oh, what the hell--let's do it!

Twelve months, three passionate bread bakers, thirty-six recipes--and more fun than should probably be allowed in the kitchen. . .

We're calling it A Year In Bread. Kevin, Beth, and I are going to spend the next twelve months dusted with flour and baking even more bread than we already do--everything from sandwich loaves to sourdoughs. Each month will be devoted to a different type of bread--three bakers, three different recipes. We'll share our experiences and then experiment with our own versions of each others' recipes. We'll also test and discuss ingredients, ask and answer questions, argue over tools and techniques, and no doubt jump onto our respective breadboxes to do some ranting, too. Oh, and there will be contests--with prizes. We're even going to have a special Bread Porn section.

We're different ages and live in three different states. We have different backgrounds and lead different lifestyles. Even the breads we bake and how we bake them are different (which is why this project is going to be so interesting). Beth, for instance, is an expert when it comes to challah. Not only have I never attempted to make this traditional Jewish bread, until three weeks ago I wasn't even pronouncing it right. Kevin wouldn't dream of mixing up dough without his KitchenAid, while mine is covered with dust because I mix and knead all my doughs by hand. I think Beth (aka kitchenMage) uses a magic wand to mix hers.

The one thing we do have in common, though, is a passion for homemade bread.

So what do you think? Are you ready to become a breadie? Have you always wanted to try baking your own bread but have been too terrified to deal with yeast on your own? Or maybe you've tried making that New York Times No Knead Bread and now have the confidence to master more difficult loaves but don't know where to start. Whether you've been baking bread for years or are an absolutely beginner who wouldn't know a poolish from a pizza peel, we're inviting you to spend a year in bread with us.

Our site, AYearInBread.com, is still under construction, but you're welcome to take a peek. While you're there, sign up for our mailing list and/or an RSS subscription. Or better yet, leave us a comment with your ideas and suggestions. Tell us what you'd like to get from A Year In Bread.

We begin baking on March 21st, and (because we all feel it's easier to make than regular bread) we'll be starting with pizza dough. You won't need any equipment other than a bowl, a wooden spoon, a tea towel, and an oven to make pizza (and nearly any type of bread), but there are a few items that are very nice to have. These are all things that I use constantly and consider very good investments.

The intense heat of a baking (or pizza) stone allows you to create crisp, pizzeria-quality pizzas in a standard kitchen oven--and gives freeform artisan loaves (like sourdough) absolutely wonderful crusts. If you've been baking breads or pizzas without one, you won't believe what they can do. Need to rationalize the cost? It's about the same as a couple of pizzas--and is basically a one time purchase. I've been using mine for over 12 years. I don't remember what brand it is, but the Old Stone Oven Baking Stone received rave reviews on Amazon.com and is recommended by America's Test Kitchen (the folks who publish Cooks Illustrated magazine). The price was recently lowered to $22.99.

Pizza peels are incredibly handy, especially if you're going to bake breads and/or pizzas on a regular basis. I actually have two--a wooden one and an aluminum one. Click here to read more about them.

Nothing slices pizza like a pizza cutter. The one I've been using for the past 14 years still works just fine, but my next Amazon.com order is going to include this KitchenAid model. Read the description, and you'll probably be lusting after one, too. Again, for the price of one (probably mediocre) pizza. . .

At $3.38, there's no reason not to invest in an analog instant-read dial thermometer--or two. Use it to check the temperature of your ingredients (water, milk, even flour). Then use it to check the temperature of the dough while it is rising. At the famous Poilane bakery in France, all bakers are required to wear an instant-read thermometer around their necks.

My life in the kitchen improved by leaps and bounds (or would that be pounds?) once I finally got around to buying myself a digital kitchen scale. A cup of flour does not always weigh the same; using a scale will give you much better accuracy when baking. It also makes mixing up doughs and batters easier (and is especially nice when making things like cookies and muffins). Bye-bye measuring cups--just dump everything straight into the bowl. There are all kinds available for under $30.00. I love my Salter 5-pound microtronic kitchen scale.

Once we start baking sandwich-type loaves, you'll need two or three bread pans. (Most of my recipes make three loaves of bread.) While I've refused to use anything but commercial baking sheets for years (are you a chronic cookie burner? The problem might not be you, but your pans--really), until recently I never bothered to invest in some decent loaf pans--despite the fact that I bake bread all the time and am in the process of building a wholesale artisan bread bakery here on the farm. Yes, sometimes I can be a total idiot. I love these Chicago Metallic commercial 1-pound loaf pans so much that when I'm alone in the kitchen I pick them up and, well, fondle them. (Did I really just admit that?) They're $9.95, have a 25-year warranty, and are absolutely wonderful. There's a 1-1/2-pound size pan available, too.



My Version Of Basil's Pain Au Levain

During A Year In Bread, we'll also be discussing bread books (yes, of course we all have different favorites--how did you guess?). There are a dizzying number of them out there, but the book I love the most (and the one that is literally responsible for plunking me into the bread baking business) is the bestselling, highly acclaimed Bread Alone by Daniel Leader. It includes the recipe for Basil's Pain Au Levain, as well as the recipe for the sourdough starter I've been using for over five years (a cup of which is the secret to my pizza dough--it's easy to make, so you might want to start yours now). And I'll let you in on another little secret: Daniel has a new bread book coming out this summer, and we're going to be interviewing him and giving away copies to A Year In Bread readers. I actually have an advance copy of the book, and it is mouthwateringly fabulous. Talk about wanting to dash into the kitchen and start mixing up some dough. . .

Okay, I need to head back down to the barn to check on Martha's new twin girls--and all the other baby lambs bouncing around. As for you, you're supposed to be checking out AYearInBread.com, remember? If you're hungry for more after your visit, you might enjoy reading my Ten Tips For Better Breads post, which includes a list of links to other bread posts on Farmgirl Fare.

Oh, and one more thing. The teaser photo I posted yesterday? Those are rising loaves of my now infamous Farmhouse White (in those wonderful new pans), and I promise (after nearly two years) that I really will share the recipe soon. You won't believe how simple it is. But then, that's the beauty of bread isn't it? You take a few basic ingredients, mix them together, and end up with something amazingly delicious. Find out for yourself--come bake bread with us!