"Fresh, Better Bread"
October 08,
2009 - Vol 1, Issue 16
| |
|
Walk for the
Cure
|
|
E-News Drawing
|
If you
receive our newsletter, you will be entered into a
drawing each month for a great prize for your
kitchen. Check here each month to see if you have
won, if so, come in to collect your prize!
September's
winner:
Dominique
Homan
Dominique won a cookbook. Congrats Dominique,
come by anytime to pick up your
prize! | |
|
Better than Sliced
Bread!
|
What's better than sliced
bread? Unsliced bread, of course! Fresh bread that
you've mixed and baked yourself! Today's trend in
homemade breads revives and builds upon some very old
bread making traditions. Now artisan breads are
available from your kitchen, fresh from your oven, with
a minimal amount of effort. The new method harnesses the
special powers of yeast to do the heavy, messy work of
risen breads. We think you'll prefer it over "boughten"
bread, even if you live near a terrific
bakery.
In
this issue we explain the science behind the new method
for making artisan breads at home, and offer some advice
about measuring and bread baking tools. We complete the
issue with three bread recipes from Kneadlessly
Simple by Nancy Baggett. You will love the ease
of these recipes, but you'll love the results even more
- wonderfully flavorful, hot, fresh bread that you've
made yourself!
|
| October Wine of the
Month |
|
Elko Downtown Upcoming
Events!
|
Elko
Downtown Business Association Upcoming
Events:
6th
Annual Elko Uncorked Wine Tasting
Event
Friday, October 9th - 4pm -
7pm
Starting Point: 5th
and Railroad Streets
Music by: Gene
Russell and Southwind, Tera
Hooiman
Enjoy wine, beer, and
holiday spirits at participating
Downtown businesses. This year's Uncorked
event will be similar to the summer Wine
Walks.
$20 per person/$35 per
couple.
Streets will be closed for
event
Breast
Cancer Walk: Saturday, October
17thWalk
for the Cure! at the Elko City Park - Learn
Details! |
Saturdays at Cucina
Fresca!
|
Events
THIS Saturday, Oct. 10th at Cucina
Fresca!
 Pumpkin
Carving Class 10 am
Just bring your own
pumpkin and we'll teach you how to carve the perfect
pumpkin. Call to sign up.
Knife Skills Class 2 pm
Call to
reserve your space at our annual knife skills class by
Messermeister cutlery expert, Ethan Hamme. Learn
new skills and how to be more efficient in the kitchen,
along with great tips on how to properly handle and take
care of your kitchen cutlery.
Free Knife Sharpening 10 am -
3pm
Join local knife sharpener, Les Callender,
to have your knives sharpened for FREE!
UPCOMING
events at Cucina Fresca:
Saturday,
October 24th
Wusthof
Knife Day 10 am - 3pm
Saturday,
October 31st
Pumpkin
Carving Contest and Costume Contest
Entries
due at 11 am, prizes given for multiple age
groups. Call for details.
Haunted
Downtown Business Tour
Tour by local
historian, Jan Petersen; begins at 2pm at Cucina
Fresca | | |
|
Food Bank Benefit
Results
|
We were
THRILLED with the turnout to our Julia Child inspired F.I.S.H.
Food Bank Benefit Event. Thank you to everyone who
participated! 160 people attended, we collected over
600 pounds
of food, and earned $400
for the food bank. Here are the results of the raffle
drawings. Come in anytime to pick up your prize!
Food Bank Benefit - Raffle Prize
Winners
|
Bosch Cooler Pak-
Jody Micheletti
Seafood Stock
- Carmen Cousins
Measuring
Spoons - Stacey
Sawyer
Measuring Spoons - Jo
Sherwood
Measuring Spoons -
Melissa Mahlberg
Measuring
Spoons - Doneete Guisti
Measuring Spoons - Rachel
Black
Blackberry Merlot Wine
Reduction - Barb Campbell
Chef
Choice Knife Sharpener - Tom
Cariker
Red Wine Sauce - Susan
Beattles
White Wine Sauce -
Kevein Laxalt
Blue Paring
Knife - Jan Walsh
Brown
Teapot - Delene Volkert
Dijon
3.5 Qt. Dutch Oven - Karleen
Bundy
Beaujolais Wine - Karen
Hoem
Beaujolais Wine - Billie
Crawford
Chantal Baking Dish
- Jennifer Tobin |
Capresso 10-cup Coffee
Maker - Karen Winchell
King's
Road Tray - Myrna
Penaflor
King's Road 4 Dessert
Plates - Jody Barnhart
King's
Road 4 Dessert Plates - Micky
Tolbert
Julia Child Inspired
Basket - Jeannie
Gillins
Coffee Mug with Coffee
- Jan King
Coffee Mug with
Coffee - Debbie
Almaguer
Mandarin Orange Bath/Body
Set - Marva Santina
What 2
Wear Gift Certificate - Lisa
Frazier
Single Serving Wine -
Sarah Sweetwater
Wine Cooler -
Dana Brodsho
Wooden Wine Shelf
- Vicki Jeppsen
Patio Umbrella
- Sandy Canady
Cowboy Joe Coffee
Bucket - Brooke Gerber
13" x
10" Sheet Pan - Molly
Popp
Fagor 10.5" Square Grill
- Susan Wharton
| | |
| Stumped Us Contest
|
October's
"Stumped Us" Question:
No one
stumped us in September . . . can you believe
it? We
can't!
September's
"Stumped Us" results: "What is
this?"Correct
answer.... This is a
type of food mill; it will separate seeds and skin from
tomatoes, cooked apples or soaked dry chilies; sending
the skin and seeds to one side and the pulp to the other
leaving a nice smooth paste free of skin and seeds. I have
used one of these for tomato sauce and also to prepare chilies
for chorizos.
September entry
winner.... Martha
Torrealday
Thank you
for your answer, Martha! Come in anytime to pick up your
prize!
|
Faster Bread by Slowing
Down
|
Throw all
of the assumptions you've had about making yeast bread out the
window! Instead, become acquainted with the slow-rise,
no-knead bread baking method! The emphasis on making great
bread has shifted from a very physical, labor-intensive
process on the one hand, and from one-step bread machines on
the other hand, to something much simpler and infinitely more
flavorful.
 The
Science Behind Slow-Rise, No-Knead Bread - Far
from being a gimmick, the slow-rise, no-knead method of bread
making calls on the power of yeast to accomplish 99% of the
work.
Bread
(and Wine and Beer) - They're all dependent on yeast
for their existence! Baking yeast is a one-celled, live
organism, Saccharomyces
cerevisiae, that's officially part of the Fungi
classification. Yeast loves sugar! As it devours the sugars
present in any carbohydrate ingredient, carbon dioxide is
formed as a gas. The gas bubbles create the fizz in beer and
the texture of baked bread as the strands of dough become
immortalized around the bubbles during baking.
Newer,
"Instant" Yeasts - The first secret of today's artisan
bread methods is "Fast-rise," "Quick-rise", or "Instant"
yeast. This yeast does not require any proofing. (Previously,
most yeast breads required that the yeast be placed in water
at just the right temperature until it became rehydrated and
bubbly, a process sometimes termed as "blooming." This
proofing step ensured that the yeast was viable and ready for
work). Instant yeast granules are smaller in size and do not
require proofing. They are produced and packaged such that
their viability is quite reliable. In most slow-rise methods,
the instant yeast is added to the dry ingredients and
dissolved as the wet ingredients are added. Instant yeasts are
also used in bread machine methods of bread
making.
 A
Cold First Rise - The second secret of new bread
baking is a cold first rise, also known as "delayed first
fermentation." Cool refrigerator temperatures surrounding the
just mixed bread control the yeast's exuberance to a very slow
pace. Meanwhile, the wet ingredients have time to work on the
flour breaking it down to simpler forms and allowing its
natural enzymes to be released. The result is incredible
flavor that comes only from a cool "delayed first
fermentation."
A Cool
Second Rise - Following a vigorous, quick stir, the
second rise of the dough is accomplished in cool room
temperatures for up to 18 to 24 hours. The second rise happens
slowly because of the initially cold dough. As the yeast does
its work, the all-important strands of gluten are formed,
stretched, and developed. It's this second, elongated rise
that takes the place of kneading. The cookbook author featured
below calls this "micro-kneading."
 Baking
the Bread - The baking of homemade bread is
perhaps the best air freshener a home could have! About 30
minutes into the 60-75 minute bake time, the aromas begin to
envelop the kitchen and permeate throughout the house.
Slow-rise, no-knead breads will generally take longer to bake
than traditional yeast breads. An instant-read thermometer
registering 210°F at the bread's center indicates
doneness.
Schedule
Elasticity - So far, hands-on time has included five
minutes for the measuring and mixing, and one minute for
stirring after the first rise - six minutes in total! However,
the elapsed time has been anywhere from 24 to 36 hours.
Allowing the dough to rise slowly in cool conditions not only
yields a wonderfully tasting loaf of bread, but a lot of
elasticity in the schedule. While the slow-cool-rise
processing may seem like an exercise in delayed gratification,
it can become an easy routine to have the next loaf in motion
at all times. Here's how we're experimenting with the
slow-rise method:
Interested
in learning and experimenting more with slow-rise, no-knead
bread? We recommend Kneadlessly
Simply by Nancy Baggett, (featured below), or Peter
Reinhart's The
Bread Baker's Apprentice, or his soon-to-be released
Peter
Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day, or Artisan
Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë
François.
|
Reviving Bread Making at
Home
|
You're
asking, what's the catch? Great, fresh bread with 5-6
minutes of hands-on work? It's just that simple - just a few
common ingredients and a couple common kitchen tools.
Tool
Simplicity -- The gear list for a basic, slow-rise
bread includes exactly six tools: 
1. Large
mixing bowl
2. A sturdy mixing
spoon
3. One-cup
measure
4. Teaspoon
measure
5. Baking pan or surface,
and
6. Cooling rack
That's
it! Even the simplest of equipped kitchens can become a
fresh bread baking factory! One of the stated reasons for not
making yeast breads is the mess that arises during the
process. The sticky kneading board or countertop, the
fine dust of flour flown about the kitchen during kneading, or
the yeasty dough underneath one's fingernails, etc.,
etc. With this method, initial clean-up is limited to
the mixing spoon, a one-cup measure and a teaspoon measure.
How much easier could it get?
Dollars
to Pennies - It would be difficult to drive to your
local bakery, wait in line, and drive home in less than 5-6
minutes, but if time and flavor don't convince you to try this
bread making method, perhaps cost will. We added up the
cost of the ingredients in the first recipe below and compared
it to some other bread choices:
The
Baking Pan - Not all bread needs to be baked in a loaf
pan, though they certainly work quite well. Bread can be baked
in a free-formed, round loaf and baked on a cookie sheet. Many
of the recipes we explored called for using a Dutch oven or a
lidded casserole dish. The heavy cast iron or ceramic
character of these pans suits bread baking perfectly with
their special heat transfer capabilities.
Serving
Fresh Bread - If you're a newbie to serving
fresh-from-the-oven bread, you'll find that it may be
difficult to cut when hot. It's perfectly fine to allow family
or guests to tear a piece of bread from a fresh loaf. Or,
allowing the bread to set a few minutes will make for easier
cutting. A true bread knife is invaluable for slicing fresh
bread. Choose a knife that has a serrated edge and is
long-enough to match a typical loaf of peasant bread - at
least a 10-12" blade
length.
|
Mastering
Measuring
|
In a
carpenter's world the saying goes, "Measure twice, cut once."
Bakers don't quite have the chance to measure twice, so it's
best to get it right the first time! Having accurate
measuring tools is the first step. It's amazing how many
measuring tools are inaccurate in their construction.  Choose
tools that are from a reputable manufacturer. We have several
styles of cups and spoons that we recommend and would be happy
to point out their different features.
Measuring
Liquids - To measure liquid ingredients, use a glass or
plastic cup that has accurate markings and features a spout
for pouring. When measuring make sure to "read" the liquid's
level horizontally from eye level. If the angle of your view
is not level, your measurement will be off. Use a small rubber
or silicone scraper to fully empty the measuring cup. For very
viscous liquids like honey or molasses, oil the inside of the
measuring cup; the sweet liquid will slip out easily without
leaving any product behind.
 Measuring
Dry Ingredients - To measure dry ingredients, use
graduated or nested measuring cups. They may be made of
plastic, ceramic or stainless steel. We like measuring cups
that have permanent markings embossed on their handles or
sides. Painted markings may disappear in time with dishwashing
and handling. With accurate tools in hand, a correct technique
is also required. Here are a few tips for accurately measuring
some common bread ingredients.
- Powdery
Textures - (Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda,
Confectioner's Sugar) - Stir or lightly fluff the powder in
its container. Spoon the powder into the measuring cup. Fill
to overflowing, then scrape off any excess
 so
that the contents are level with the top of the cup. Do not
pack, tamp down, or allow it to settle. Also, do not scoop
powdery ingredients with the measuring tool; this has the
effect of packing the ingredients causing too much to be
used.
- Granulated
Textures - Sugar, Salt - Simply pour or spoon into
the measure and level off.
Measuring
by Weight - Measuring ingredients by weight is a
well-used method in commercial kitchens and in international
cultures. We often prefer weighing ingredients when baking
because it is so easy to add ingredients according to the
scale's display without measuring cups or spoons. Convert your
favorite recipes from volume measurements to weight
measurements and simplify your life. The density of the
ingredient will affect the volume-to-weight calculation; use
the Nutrition Information table on the ingredient's packaging
where the volume-to-weight conversion for the product is
listed.
|
Cucina Fresca's Slow-Rise
Bread Making Tips
|
Tip #1: Upon
discovering your new favorite bread, mix several batches of
the dry ingredients and store in a zipper bag.  Write
a card with the remaining ingredients listed, the baking
temperature and time noted, and tape it to the bag. The next
time you are ready to mix a loaf, it will take you only two
minutes and only one spoon to wash!
Tip #2: Showcase your
fresh bread in a bread basket, or on a cutting board draped
with a beautiful tea towel. Baskets and fabric will allow
steam to be released while keeping your bread
warm.
Tip
#3: Slow-rise, no-knead breads seem to use a
smaller quantity of yeast than other yeast bread recipes and
usually less than a single envelope. Consider buying a jar of
yeast that allows you to use just what you need and avoids a
half-used packet.
Tip
#4: Yeast is a dormant, one-celled organism that "comes
alive" when in contact with water. To ensure freshness, always
check the expiration date when purchasing. Unopened yeast
packages may be stored in a cupboard; opened packets or jars
should be stored tightly closed in the
refrigerator.
Tip
#5: Within 5 minutes of removing the bread from
the oven, turn the bread out of its pan and place on a cooling
rack. This will prevent the outside of the bread from getting
wet from steam condensation as the bread cools.
 Tip #6: Slow-rising bread
asks the yeast to work for a relatively long period of time.
However, there are limits to yeast's tolerance - at some
point, the yeast can become expended and fail to rise - call
it post-party exhaustion. Over-fermentation can be avoided by
cooling the dough for more of the rising period, and acting
within the 24-36 hour window.
Tip #7: Keep extra sets of
measuring cups and measuring spoons in your utensil drawer.
This will allow you to keep baking without having to wash or
rinse a measuring cup or spoon for the next ingredient. Extras
will also allow you to avoid reaching into a dirty dishwasher
during the next
recipe.
|
Q &
A's
|
 Q: Why the emphasis on the
feel of the dough?
 A: Flour varies in the
amount of moisture that it can hold based on local weather
conditions, the type of flour, or the way in which flour was
measured. Some say the amount of flour used can vary up to
25%. Becoming comfortable with the feel of the dough provides
a guidepost for achieving the desired outcome.
Q: Does sifting affect the
measurement of flour?
A: Yes! A cup of sifted
flour will weigh approximately 4 ounces. In contrast, one cup
of unsifted flour will weigh 4.75 ounces - a 18+% difference!
If the recipe calls for sifted flour, most definitely sift the
flour. If the recipe does not specify sifted flour, then
spoon "fluffed" flour (see above) into the measuring cup and
level off. In the "olden days" flour was routinely sifted to
break up clumps of flour and to remove hard bits. Today's
flour quality does not require sifting unless specified by the
recipe.
Q: What
is a dash? A pinch? A smidgen?
A: Many baking recipes
call for a dash, pinch or a smidgen. According to most, a dash
is 1/8 tsp., a pinch is 1/16 tsp., and a smidgen is 1/32 tsp.
And yes, there are measuring spoon sets available for a Dash,
Pinch and Smidgen!
Q: What is the difference
between all-purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour, and
self-rising flour?
A: All-purpose flour is
for general use in any recipe unless specified otherwise.
Bread flour is made from hard wheat which has a higher protein
content and greater percentage of gluten. Cake flour is flour
with a low protein content and only half the glutens of bread
flour.  Cake
flour produces a fine, very tender product in baking, but it
is not suitable for bread making; use it for cookies and
cakes. Self-rising flour is pre-mixed flour containing baking
powder and salt and is more suitable for making quick breads,
(pancakes, muffins, waffles), than yeast breads.
Q: What is the proper
etiquette when dipping bread in oil?
A: Dipping oils are a
great way to enjoy fresh bread while substituting healthier
oils for butter. Tear off a bite-sized piece of bread and dip
in oil. Do not dip an entire slice of bread in the oil, and
certainly do not "double-dip" the slice after having bitten
off a
piece. |
Cookbook
Review
|
Kneadlessly
Simple, Fabulous, Fuss-Free, No-Knead Breads by Nancy
Baggett. Copyright 2009. Photography by Alexandra Grablewski.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken,
NJ.
True to its title, this cookbook takes us down a
new pathway for making bread. And while there are several
takes on cool, slow-rise bread baking, we found this book
particularly accessible in its instructions and breadth of
adapted recipes.  Ms.
Baggett expertly explains the chemistry behind the chilled
temperatures and the elongated rising times. We especially
appreciated the flexible schedule that she builds into each
recipe; she clearly understands real life and last minute
changes to the agenda. The cookbook starts with easy, yet
delicious, recipes designed to train the renewed bread baker
in the new method. From there the variations break out in
several directions. She covers American Favorites, Old-World
Classics, Whole and Multi-Grains, Gluten-Free Breads, and
Sweet Breads. A great trouble-shooting section provides a
safety net and confidence for the experimentation ahead. The
book ends with expert guidance for converting your own beloved
bread recipes to the cool, slow-rise method. We can't wait to
try the Cinnamon Sticky Buns and the Rosemary
Focaccia!
|
Recipes for Fresh, Better
Bread
|
Recipes excerpted from Kneadlessly
Simple, Fabulous, Fuss-Free, No-Knead Breads by Nancy
Baggett. Copyright 2009. Published by John Wiley & Sons,
Inc, Hoboken, NJ. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.
All rights reserved.
Crusty
White, Peasant-Style Pot Bread
 This
was our first attempt at using the cool, slow-rise method of
bread-making. We added a cup of kalamata olives as suggested
in one of the variations. It was a huge success! Not
only was it incredibly easy, the result was extremely
rewarding! The recipe produced a well-rounded loaf with
a beautiful golden crust. The taste and texture was divine! We
plan to make this bread again and again.
Click here to view the full,
illustrated recipe.
Click here for a
printable
version of the recipe.
Great
Granola Breakfast Bread
 Bolstered
by our first round of success, this recipe sounded wonderful
and we were right! Easily mixed, as promised, the bread had
just the slightest hint of sweetness. The added granola
provided some extra texture. We thoroughly enjoyed it when it
was warm, and possibly even more when it was toasted. Buttered
toast and a glass of milk - breakfast nirvana!
Click here to view the full,
illustrated recipe.
Click here for a
printable
version of the recipe.
.
Crispy
Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Pot Bread
 Another
winner! We roasted the garlic earlier when the oven was
on and had the garlic/cheese paste ready to mix into the dough
ahead of time. The dough took all of five minutes to make, and
another minute to tend the next day. The baked bread had a
rich, yet not overwhelming, garlic and cheese flavor that made
the perfect bruschetta base and a fantastic garlic toast.
Yummm...
Click here to view the full,
illustrated recipe.
Click here for a
printable
version of the
recipe.
| |
We hope
you enjoy rediscovering fresh, homemade bread!
|
|
| |
