So happy to have found you!
Hello everybody! I'm new here.
I live on a small island just off the West coast of Scotland. I've been baking bread for some years by hand but for the last 20 or so years I have occasionally used a Panasonic machine. My family likes me to make Swedish cardamom buns (Kardemummabullar) and I found that the Panasonic was a great help in making the dough for them. I also used it for baking sandwich bread but only in emergencies. Although it produced a pretty good loaf, I didn't much like the shape so I decided to replace it.
I found you when I was looking for advice on my replacement machine - a Sana. There isn't much out there on the web. I'm beginning to think that I made a mistake! So far I have had some excellent advice from @Precaud. I am so grateful for that. But what I didn't know was what a wonderful resource this site is. I'm an ex software engineer so I like detail! I've been spending many hours reading the posts here and it is spurring me on to try baking other breads.
Thanks to everyone here for your dedication and scientific approach to problem solving. I've particularly enjoyed the posts on using yeast water to make sourdough. I hadn't heard of it before yesterday! Organic raisins now ordered from Amazon!
Sue
Although I haven't made yeast water, I first heard about it from Seraphine Lishe, a home baker in Bali.You will probably find this video interesting (if you haven't already discovered it). And, if you want science, she will give you science. All her videos are full of scientific explanations (sometimes to the point of eyes-glazing-over).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt_dS7FDHog
I've noticed that there are many engineers, of all sorts, on this site (and some chemists). They seem to be attracted to breadmaking.
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I read your topic about the Sana. There's not much info online, but it looks like a well-nade machine whose major problem is the loaf sticking to the pan. Don't give up too soon on that machine, it's always difficult learning to navigate something new.
Hi Moe, thank you for the link which I have had a quick look at, I'll look at the video a bit later when I have some peace and quiet (my dog is desperate for his walk!).
And thank you for the encouraging remarks about my new Sana. I will perservere.
I'm going to write up a post soon about my adventures with this kind of pre-ferment. Everyone always says how easy it is! Like in the videos. With my little brain? No it's not. It made me crazy for a bit, but now I think I've figured out the tricks and things. Welcome to the forum: It's a little bit nuts, but pretty fun. :-)
Oh: And you should try some sandwich bread with a pre-ferment for other than emergencies. This is some seriously good bread! Made the old-fashioned way. We make dinner buns in a pan, for emergencies, since we're eating canned foods and don't really want a bigger slice of bread.
Hi AC! I've read quite a few of your posts already. Looking forward to your YW experiences. Right now I'm like a kid in a sweetshop. There are so many good things on here to try. Today is just a conventional sourdough day (I'm crossing my fingers - not had a lot of success so far) but trying yeast water is top of my list. I'll hold off until I have read your post. :)
Sue
From what I've learned, the original poolish is just flour, water, and a tiny bit of yeast. Yeast water seems to be something like sourdough starter, where people keep a jar around because they make a lot of bread. I don't make that much bread and don't have all that much room in the kitchen, so I just use the flour & water version. More on that too, in the upcoming post.
Like you, having come back to break-making after quite a few years, the Interwebs have become a fairground of fascinating ideas, methods, educational videos and whatnot. So I'm trying out stuff I never would have known about. Not to mention so many international videos, now. Awesome!
Hi Sue,
I found the yeast water community bake a fabulous resource:
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/60872/community-bake-hamelmans-swiss-farmhouse-part-1-yeast-water
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/60907/community-bake-hamelmans-swiss-farmhouse-part-2-bake
And the Swiss farmhouse bread is super delicious too.
Hope it is useful to you
-Jon
Thank you Jon. It certainly is a very good read and I will use it to bake my first yeast water bread. Don't quite know when that will be though because I am grappling with a lot of new stuff right now!
Sue
You might find the posts of this Japanese baker, who predominantly bakes with yeast water, useful:
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/user/teketeke
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/23809/how-i-make-and-maintain-raisin-yeast-water
Yippee
Thank you for the links, I would have replied earlier but I ended up down a rabbit-hole which took me to all sorts of wonderful places and I have only just surfaced! Thank you for an entertaining 3 days :). The list of things to try is endless. But I can start today because my raisins should be delivered this afternoon. We only have one grocery store on the island with limited availibility of organic foods. I'll post photos if and when I am successful.
Sue
Baking with yeast water is simple, especially with great guidance.
Yippee