My Finale Day

I chose to watch the finale in Hawaii with my friends.

I figured this was where it all started so this was where it should end.

And I baked. We decided to make it a bread, wine and cheese spread. And then popped a cork at the end of the night. It was nice.

"Rat Dropping" bread

The dough that so many of you said looked like the rats got into it, was actually a fennel raisin almond dough.

It was my most labor intensive ( I had to candy and juice the fennel) but I really loved the flavor.

Hands down my greatest toast. And check out the green color it has from the fennel juice.

Bread Making Tip One: Shower Caps

Man I love using shower caps to cover my dough while I wait for the first rise.

I know there are specific bread rising buckets that people may use. And someday I might buy said buckets.

Before I would either try to cover the bowls loosely with plastic wrap or set a plate on top.

But then I read somewhere about the suggestion of a shower cap and I love it.

I can't wait to stay in a hotel again just so I can steal another one.

Quote From Beth

"Make the good old bread... days.

Don't make those nasty wheat breads anymore."

She wants the Lahey bread.

BTW Still Baking

Today I baked my first whole wheat bread. It's great. I look forward to toasting it tomorrow. It came out of this book. I wanted to go back to baking with the starter I had created. This white baguette came from the book too.

I ended up buying this book too because I kept hearing about it.

It's a good book but I just wish the recipes included weight measurements as well, I just think weight is more accurate when it comes to flour and salt.

For me Jim Lahey's bread recipe is still my favorite.

Flour + Salt + Yeast + Water

My newest hobby is bread making.

It's amazing how four simple ingredients can can do so much.

I started with two books I ordered over the holidays.

Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Everyday

and My Bread by Jim Lahey.

Here's my first bread.

Then I tried to make my own starter. This is a bit of a process because you have to baby it. (It's kinda like when you're in school and you have to take care of an egg.)

I took it to work with me so I could give it a stir between scenes.

Eventually it became a mother starter. I made a couple baguettes with that starter but apparently I don't have any pictures. But I did get a shot of my last bread which I was most proud of.