Breaking Bread

Breaking bread, both literally and figuratively, is an act of acceptance and friendship, practiced for centuries among the many cultures, past and present, around the world.

In recent years, the very subject of bread has become the focal point of two opposing parties: Artisanal bread making, and the now ubiquitous Gluten-free movement. Ironically, it seems that these two ideologies are growing in popularity side-by-side.

While I do not wish to offer any comment for or against the Gluten-free movement, I write this blog simply to champion the rise of artisanal baking across North America in the last decade. This trend - I hope it's not a short term one - appears to be attracting a much higher number of men to this fine pursuit. Why there is a gender dominance in today's artisanal baking, again, I do not wish to offer any explanation.

As for myself, I have been baking bread at home for over 25 years, ever since I got myself a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume II.  While living in Montreal at that time, I was spoiled with the large variety of excellent quality French bread from boulangeries near my apartment. I still remember one dinner I hosted at home for out of town guests - they couldn't believe that I could just step our of my humble abode to pick another baguette when we ran out of the first one.

Having enjoyed the flavours of these tasty local breads, I began poring over the many bread recipes from the book and took the courage to create my first baguette.  As to be expected with first time baking, I threw a lot of dough, literally! But, after a number of trials and errors, I was able to become proficient enough that baking baguette and rolls became just another easy thing to do on a weeknight.

Forward to the present, my baking has evolved over the years that I can simply whip up an impressive foccacia in less than 3 hours or, with a lot more effort and mess, a credible croissant, and a very impressive brioche and challah.  Still, I have always felt that something was missing in my bread repertoire. It wasn't until just 3 years ago that I finally faced the truth: I have not made any sourdough bread at all!

 I have read and met people who made sourdough for years, some even making their own starter from scratch or using one from their grandmother's batch. Me, I just could not get excited about it until I made an effort to ask for a small starter from a new bakery in a remote town near Terracotta.  Thus began my love affair with all things sour! It was like magic to see slow rising dough suddenly growing big in the oven and delivering such heady complex aromas I have only smelled in serious boulangeries. And the taste..oh my Lord! I thought that all sourdough breads taste like the one in San Fran. I was in for a very pleasant surprise!

Having a large collection of really good books on bread have really whetted my appetite for this holy grail of baking - as I was to discover upon reading.  Fortunately for me, a science geek, I finally got the courage to really understand what goes on in making sourdough.  Although the process to create my very own starter took a few tries and looked like a daunting task - what with regular feeding and all, I found that the end product was worth all the effort and time - yes, you need lots of it! Here are just some of the many sourdoughs I have made, using my own starter which I created by crushing some of my neighbour's wild grapes inside a cheese cloth in a bowl, then adding 2 cups warm water, 1 cup unbleached flour and 1 cup rye flour, mixed and allowed to settle undisturbed for one week, covered. During this period, you will start seeing bubbles on top of the mix. Start adding the same amount of mix - we call this feeding - do this every 3-5 days for 3 weeks. You will soon start smelling some really nice yeasty, slightly sour but complex fruity aromas.

To begin making your first dough, take 1 cup from this starter and add into a new bowl with warm water, plus 1/2 cup of unbleached flour, mix well until it looks like a pancake batter. Cover and leave at room temp overnight.  The following day, in a large bowl, add 2 cups flour and 2 cups warm water, then add the "pancake batter" from the night before, mix well until you have a very wet, thick dough. Cover and rest for 1 hour.  The dough will rise. Deflate by pressing with wooden spoon. add some flour to form a firmer dough that you can shape. Cover and let it rest for 8 hours. To start the baking process, deflate the dough once again. Let is rest for 5 minutes, then start shaping to the form you wish to make. Place the shaped dough into a large baking dish, lined with parchment paper, and cover. Let the dough inside rise for 1 -2 hours. Turn the oven to 450F. Open the cover and slash the top of the dough to create a vent for gases to escape and create the classic look. Cover and place in the oven for 35 minutes.  Remove the dish and take out the partly baked dough with the parchment paper, place on a cookie sheet and return to the oven for another 25 minutes or until it is golden brown.  Remove the bread from the oven and place on a rack to cool.  

Once you've made a good bread, you'll never buy another from the supermarket, and your friends will always appreciate a fresh loaf or baguette when you come to visit.

Happy Baking!