Starting tomorrow...
Hello! I have been thinking of starting a blog for a while now. My love for baking has existed for many years---ever since I received a Kids Cookbook for my birthday. I was probably seven years old at the time.
My mother always asked me, "Why do you have to make cookies every time?"
Because I liked to do them. and eat them.
Simple right?
I am starting this blog to document my journey through baking bread!
You would think that worldwide quarantine is what inspired my desire to start cooking bread. However, nothing could be further from the truth. I'm not like the many people, who now find themselves at home with nothing to do and so decide to take on baking bread. I have been baking bread for a while now. It's something that I wish I had more time to do. And now I do!
The thing about baking bread is that it is not that time-consuming when you think about it. It's really only in the oven for like 30 minutes or even 10 minutes sometimes. And total prep time of kneading and such is minimal. So why wouldn't I have time in my day to day to make bread?
Because baking bread requires planning.
And patience.
Some breads begin with a starter, (more on that later) that has to be made the day before. Then sometimes the starter has to be fed 24 hours later, and then left again for another day.
Some breads only need a few hours of proofing, or rising.
People say the best-tasting breads take a long time to make. I disagree. If you've ever made potato buns, or pretzels, you understand.
I think I might be getting carried away with all this talk of bread. But the point of this post is to describe exactly what task I am taking up and why I'm doing it.
Well it all started with my boyfriend. actually fiance now I should say.
He has this penchant for scrolling endlessly through Netflix, on days when we absolutely cannot find anything to watch. Eventually, he settles on one of two movies everytime.
Basically, it's either Avatar or Julie and Julia.
If you've ever watched Julie and Julia, you know the basic premise: (and if you haven't, go watch it! it's pretty good)
Basically, this lady who works a draining job decides to start a blog where she cooks every one of renowned chef, Julia Child's recipes in her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
He's constantly ushered me on to take up a similar task.
As if I have the time! Well that's what I always thought.
When quarantine was a necessary task, I went about making bread like crazy. It was and is one of the only things that can calm me down. I've heard about that thing called meditation. But have you ever stuck your face in an oven and smelled baking bread? That's what I thought.
So I've decided to immerse myself more than ever in the world of bread. I've always appreciated the art of baking bread for its precision, but also for its necessary adjustments and modifications along the way. A broken A/C or an oven setting that is not at the right temperature are just the things that can absolutely ruin a bread! I don't even like starring at it for too long while its rising. One more teaspoon of salt and you've flattened out your bread. Water that is too hot added to active yeast will absolutely kill the little guys (the yeast microorganisms).
I tend to like activities where I repeatedly fail. Am I a masochist? Maybe.
But the result is just so satisfying.
It's like that scene in Disney's Ratatouille, where Colette (the woman chef) breaks the baguette and makes sure Linguini hears the sound for its utter perfection.
Getting that feeling and sharing it with others is the goal every time I take up a recipe.
So for this experiment, I will be learning and baking through The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart.
I hope my recipes will give you a lesson in baking with patience.
With understanding.
With precision.
And with joy!
My mother always asked me, "Why do you have to make cookies every time?"
Because I liked to do them. and eat them.
Simple right?
I am starting this blog to document my journey through baking bread!
You would think that worldwide quarantine is what inspired my desire to start cooking bread. However, nothing could be further from the truth. I'm not like the many people, who now find themselves at home with nothing to do and so decide to take on baking bread. I have been baking bread for a while now. It's something that I wish I had more time to do. And now I do!
The thing about baking bread is that it is not that time-consuming when you think about it. It's really only in the oven for like 30 minutes or even 10 minutes sometimes. And total prep time of kneading and such is minimal. So why wouldn't I have time in my day to day to make bread?
Because baking bread requires planning.
And patience.
Some breads begin with a starter, (more on that later) that has to be made the day before. Then sometimes the starter has to be fed 24 hours later, and then left again for another day.
Some breads only need a few hours of proofing, or rising.
People say the best-tasting breads take a long time to make. I disagree. If you've ever made potato buns, or pretzels, you understand.
I think I might be getting carried away with all this talk of bread. But the point of this post is to describe exactly what task I am taking up and why I'm doing it.
Well it all started with my boyfriend. actually fiance now I should say.
He has this penchant for scrolling endlessly through Netflix, on days when we absolutely cannot find anything to watch. Eventually, he settles on one of two movies everytime.
Basically, it's either Avatar or Julie and Julia.
If you've ever watched Julie and Julia, you know the basic premise: (and if you haven't, go watch it! it's pretty good)
Basically, this lady who works a draining job decides to start a blog where she cooks every one of renowned chef, Julia Child's recipes in her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
He's constantly ushered me on to take up a similar task.
As if I have the time! Well that's what I always thought.
When quarantine was a necessary task, I went about making bread like crazy. It was and is one of the only things that can calm me down. I've heard about that thing called meditation. But have you ever stuck your face in an oven and smelled baking bread? That's what I thought.
So I've decided to immerse myself more than ever in the world of bread. I've always appreciated the art of baking bread for its precision, but also for its necessary adjustments and modifications along the way. A broken A/C or an oven setting that is not at the right temperature are just the things that can absolutely ruin a bread! I don't even like starring at it for too long while its rising. One more teaspoon of salt and you've flattened out your bread. Water that is too hot added to active yeast will absolutely kill the little guys (the yeast microorganisms).
I tend to like activities where I repeatedly fail. Am I a masochist? Maybe.
But the result is just so satisfying.
It's like that scene in Disney's Ratatouille, where Colette (the woman chef) breaks the baguette and makes sure Linguini hears the sound for its utter perfection.
Getting that feeling and sharing it with others is the goal every time I take up a recipe.
So for this experiment, I will be learning and baking through The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart.
I hope my recipes will give you a lesson in baking with patience.
With understanding.
With precision.
And with joy!
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