This bread recipe keeps calling to me...

[hippywife]

and I definitely want to try it, just not today. LOL Maybe it's the little slice sitting in the soft yolk of that perfectly boiled egg that's set my taste buds into fits of fancy.

http://www.bakingandbooks.com/2007/09/22/simplicity-48-hours-in-the-making/

[Warpy]

1. It looks overly complicated to me

I'd be inclined to make the sponge on day 1 with whole wheat flour and just let it sit there for 24 hours like the NYT recipe, then finish with white flour.

What you're going for is a loaf with an open crumb to be cut into soldiers, toasted and buttered and dunked into a soft boiled egg.

I just don't see any reason to clutter the kitchen with multiple bowls of dough.

IOW, "soaker," my ass.

[hippywife]

2. And yet...

I still plan to try it. ;)

[housewolf]

3. I've made a whole wheat bread recipe by Peter Reinhart

I think it was a predecessor to this one, and it was really, really, really wonderful. I'll bet this recipe is heavenly... his techiniques develop so much declicous flavor, he's a master baker when it comes to that.

I'd recommend any of his recipes.

Yum!!!!

[hippywife]

4. Hey, stranger!

I'll take your recommendation and give this a try when I have some time. I could probably start it tonight or first thing in the morning.

What's happenin' with you? You are missed when you aren't around, you know! :loveya:

[housewolf]

5. Hi back at cha!

I went back to work about 6 weeks ago on a short term contract, so that severely cut back my on-line time. I've kept up with this forum but haven't been talking much... seems I go through these phases. I haven't been wanting to keep up on the political front as much as I was... I can't take the political discourse of our age. I love and support Obama - and I also trust him and feel that he doesn't need me examining his every move, so I haven't been paying as much attention to the day-to-day noise of it all. So as to say, I've been popping in nearly every day and checking out what's going on (especially here with my beloved foodies!) but been pretty quiet. Trying to hold on to all the summer weather that I can, what with a long wet cold autumn and winter on the horizon.

So... haven't been cooking much, haven't been eating much of interest, and saddest of all, haven't been baking much! But something's stirring around, I can feel it, and am feeling like your posting this recipe inspired something! We'll see.

I love reading your posts about your baking and cooking adventures... you've sure learned a lot and grown as a cook & baker over the past year!



:hi:

[hippywife]

6. I know how you feel.

I don't want to hear another political thing. That started happening about the time I joined this group, really. We had been a local peace activists/organizers since shortly after the beginning of the war and avid readers of everything we could lay my hands on. I burned out badly. So, channeled all my energies into cooking and baking. I've always loved to create things in the kitchen but with all of our activities, didn't have the time. Now I've thrown myself into local and whole food/sustainable ag and concentrate on cooking as much from scratch as possible, trying things I never have before and tweaking others. This group has been a wonderful inspiration to try all kinds of things.

I'm glad you're feeling a stirring, you're creations are fabulous! Nothing like cold, wet weather to invite one into a warm kitchen, no? Like I said, I definitely miss you and your contributions when you aren't around, as well as our friend in AZ. Dratted full time employment. Acckk! LOL

:hug:

[housewolf]

7. ...warm kitchen etc

If only I HAD a warm kitchen! I froze in this house from October till May last year! It's a beautiful house but big and very open 2-story and OH! so expensive to heat in the winter! Setting the thermostat at a moderate temp like 66 or so keept it warm enough upstairs but way too cold for me to hang out for long downstairs, since I'm kinda cold-intolerant (I freeze in the ac at work every day too). So I tend to hunker down upstairs and only make brief forays downstairs when necessary. UGH! Not really the way I want to be living since I LOVE kitchens, they are my favorite rooms in the house and all things being equal, I'd rather be in the kitchen than anywhere else. So... yeah, I hadn't really given it much thought till you pumpkin cake post... but yeah, I'm not looking forward to the upcoming seasons. Last year it rained almost every day between October and June!

I miss AzDem too, haven't heard from her in too long now.

I've had Leek & Potato Soup on the brain for a few weeks now, maybe this will be the weekend, along with some great bread... good transitional food for the first day of Autumn!

[pengillian101]

8. Looks delish!

[madmax]

9. Yo hippychick

Do you have a recipe for good bread ;) Recently moved to NC from NJ and can't find good crusty bread around here! Oy and the Pizza -ugh! But, I do LOVE NC only miss some food stuffs from NJ.

Do I need a special oven or anything? Maybe you can start a new 'Good Bread' thread. Is there a secret to getting that really nice crispy crust? Thanks :)

[hippywife]

10. Yo maxdude! LOL

I think if you do a simple search of this group for NYTimes or CI bread recipes baked in an enameled cast iron dutch oven you'll find what you're looking for. Also google for the Artisan Bread in Five video and the Artisan Bread in Five website. I have also found that I can take a current favorite wheat bread recipe and bake it in above mentioned dutch oven and have good results.

Also try a simple search of this group for pizza.

(I've been feeling pretty sickly this week or I'd post the links for you. I really, really would except I just don't have the strength or energy to do the hunting around.)

G'luck to ya! I think the hunt will be worth it. :hi:

[madmax]

11. Thank you lovey!

You rest up, you've pointed me in the right directon. So the secret is in the enameled cast iron dutch oven, eh? Whoda thunk it. I tought maybe it was something in the Joisey/NewYawk water that made it so crunchy.

Take good care of yourself and feel better :hug:

[hippywife]

12. Thanx, dear.

And I'm kinda thinking that the enameled cast iron thingie is for those of us who still have difficulty or don't have the right oven to make an authentic artisan loaf. Kind of a home cheater, if you will. ;) But what the heck! It woiks!

Maybe that's why I'm still intrigued by this recipe in the OP. I'm still a bread noob and learning along the way, meself. I still wanna go to the mountaintop at least once, as it were, ya know?

I must be whacked out sick. I'm even talking strange. :crazy: :rofl:

:hug:

[madmax]

13. I'm sick, too

so I completely understand you. :rofl: Wicked cold that won't go away. :(