I managed to produce a good quantity of bread last week, while trying two new things (a different flour, and a biga pre ferment). What to do with it all?
The previous week, during Thursday night English corner, I presented to the large group the introduction written by Peter Reinhart in The Bread Baker's Apprentice. The book had just arrived, and I was eager to read it, so I shared something of my excitement with them.
Peter describes reactions to bread tasting. He explains about the five different types of taste buds spread across sections of the tongue. He wrote the oohs, ahs, OH!s and the final WOW, as the flavors reached each section of the tongue. I gave a dramatic reading, of course. With a few minutes remaining in our hour, I asked the students if they had any questions or comments.
Yeah. Where's the bread? We want to taste it, too.
I saved one loaf of the biga batch for the following Thursday night. As it turned out, another teacher had usurped my English corner time with a guest speaker from outside, who wanted to sell a summer English program. So in the few minutes before the speaker entered, I cut and shared the loaf. There were perhaps 25 adults there. It was a sheer pleasure for me to watch them slowly chew, registering surprise and pleasure along the way, and reaching for seconds.
From the broken pullman loaf I was able to save a one-pound well-shaped loaf. Wallace, a Canadian mulatto working here, had previously said he'd paid 20 rmb for such a loaf of bread. I've been using imported butter in making these loaves, and its expensive. So I wrapped a loaf for him and asked him to donate 10 rmb towards the butter.
The second, darker biga loaf I put in the freezer, as a gift to repay favors. A few Chinese students and staff are always ready to help me when I ask. I need to do something nice in return.
The other half of the pullman, misshapen and broken as you see it in the pic, seems to have disappeared! I can't seem to account for it. mmm yum
The second flour I chose was a hard spring wheat from the NE, from a big flour mill. The taste is noticeably sour, the texture more firm. It is the flour to use for artisan breads, whereas the other, the small grower's 'hard winter flour', seems best suited to the sandwich loaf.
The previous week, during Thursday night English corner, I presented to the large group the introduction written by Peter Reinhart in The Bread Baker's Apprentice. The book had just arrived, and I was eager to read it, so I shared something of my excitement with them.
Peter describes reactions to bread tasting. He explains about the five different types of taste buds spread across sections of the tongue. He wrote the oohs, ahs, OH!s and the final WOW, as the flavors reached each section of the tongue. I gave a dramatic reading, of course. With a few minutes remaining in our hour, I asked the students if they had any questions or comments.
Yeah. Where's the bread? We want to taste it, too.
I saved one loaf of the biga batch for the following Thursday night. As it turned out, another teacher had usurped my English corner time with a guest speaker from outside, who wanted to sell a summer English program. So in the few minutes before the speaker entered, I cut and shared the loaf. There were perhaps 25 adults there. It was a sheer pleasure for me to watch them slowly chew, registering surprise and pleasure along the way, and reaching for seconds.
From the broken pullman loaf I was able to save a one-pound well-shaped loaf. Wallace, a Canadian mulatto working here, had previously said he'd paid 20 rmb for such a loaf of bread. I've been using imported butter in making these loaves, and its expensive. So I wrapped a loaf for him and asked him to donate 10 rmb towards the butter.
The second, darker biga loaf I put in the freezer, as a gift to repay favors. A few Chinese students and staff are always ready to help me when I ask. I need to do something nice in return.
The other half of the pullman, misshapen and broken as you see it in the pic, seems to have disappeared! I can't seem to account for it. mmm yum
The second flour I chose was a hard spring wheat from the NE, from a big flour mill. The taste is noticeably sour, the texture more firm. It is the flour to use for artisan breads, whereas the other, the small grower's 'hard winter flour', seems best suited to the sandwich loaf.
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