San Joaquin Sourdough for Special Company
With Brother David and Sister Susan visiting from the Great San Joaquin, I had to bake San Joaquin Sourdough, and I had to bake it good! I made a double batch of dough to try Mini-Baguettes along with a couple Batards. The process was uneventful (sorry, no Stupid Novice Baker Tricks this time).
After reading lots of descriptions and looking at several instructional videos, my first attempt at shaping Mini-Baguettes went pretty well.
My scoring technique improves a bit each time and my new baking stone gives good spring (thanks, Stan).
For a medium-hydration dough, the crumb was pretty holey.
It was a big baking day. Baguettes cooling, Batards proofing, pizza dough resting for its next stretch. Pretty good production for a one-oven kitchen.
David seemed to enjoy the Baguette, but perhaps not as much as the Pizza and Pinot Grigio.
The Batards were proofed in my brand new bannetons. Though not as gorgeous as the best our family produces, I'm easily pleased with Batards that look like Batards. The crust was crunchy and the crumb was nice and moist.
And one could get lost in the holes.
Tonight, before dinner out, we'll have more bread and cheese and wine. I'm expecting few complaints.
Glenn
Comments
You have some nice grignes showing in those photos and a nice open crumb in your mini baguette. Likewise the shape, slashing and crumb of your batards.
You're a fast learner, though I suspect brother David has done some tutoring. Especially if you're bribing him with the pizza and vino!
Larry
David has been my telephone tech support from time to time, but if I seem like a fast learner, it's because of all the tutoring that TFL has to offer.
Glenn
Those look great. Have a great dinner tonight!
Had an interesting conversation with David last night about the successive generations of TFLers. The questioners of one generation become the answerers for the next as the community's knowledge gets passed along and one's experience deepens. This is a pretty great knowledge resource and a fun place to learn and share the thrill of victories and the agonies of de feet (have I mentioned how tired my feet are after three bakes in one day?).
Cheers,
Glenn
I just picked up 2 floor mats @ lowes for 20 bucks each...smaller versions of the ones sold online & in kitchen shops for $$$$'s. I put one right where I stand to mix, knead & shape...oh what a difference!
They are stacked in a box in the flooring department, only one color, brown, labeled as 24 x 36 Pro Comfort Mat, item # 328141. They're nice because water doesn't hurt them, easily swept & wiped down.
Treat your feet & they'll be happy!
Toni
You realize, of course, that you've reached the point of no return - about five or six bakes back!
Hi, Glenn, how nice to have family members to share your hobby! I try not to go too much into discussing minute baking considerations with my very patient, bread-loving-but-not-baking husband so that I don't have to listen to in depth descriptions on how an equalizer works...
Karin
Karin--
Man! I could go on this topic forever. But I won't (you're welcome).
All of this baking stuff (maybe everything else important, too) is about family. Re-creating and re-living memories of passionate communal consumption of delectables is a major motivation.
Sharing hobbies and interests is one big aspect of family love. Spouses are, of course, a special case. Spouses need to appear interested in the other's interests, and sometimes we really are. Spouses also need to not bore the other. There's a constant evaluation of, and adjustment to, the limits of the other's patience. And we often miss the mark. Glazed eyes are a good tip-off.
Glenn
Glazed eyes, this hits home. Not from just my spouse, but friends also, when my misplaced enthusiasm runs overboard.
Just wanted to jump in with praise, as your breads have become increasingly beautiful. Ray
Increasingly beautiful is a good goal, along with increasingly yummy.
Glenn
dmsnyder gets much (well-deserved) credit on TFL for his generous advice and well-documented baking experiences. But little is said here of his wealth of expertise in bread consumption. I have known many bread eaters in my day, but few match David's mix of scientific scrutiny and exuberant enthusiasm in that arena.
Here you see the careful examination of the San Joaquin Sourdough's behavior under a schmear of Brie.
In deference to the personal nature of The Experience, I didn't snap a photo of the emotional reaction that followed. Suffice it to say, he seemed to enjoy it.
Glenn
I did not document the instruction on bread consumption received at the SFBI, but I did share it with Glenn. As I have stated when writing of other techniques, it is helpful to understand the underlying theory and to receive clear instruction in methodology. Beyond that, expertise is achieved through "practice, practice, practice."
If I'd only practiced the violin as assiduously as I've practiced eating, I'd probably play like Paganini ... and be as slender as he was!
BTW, Glenn's San Joaquin Sourdough behaved quite well as a brie conveyor.
David
to the old joke about how do you get to Carnegie Deli?
Glenn
I guess I am a master bread eater, too... I told our kids that I wouldn't accept a son- or daughter-in-law that doesn't enjoy food as much as we do.
Karin
You probably have the most influence on your children's choices of partners through modeling, not threats. If they grow up loving good food, its preparation and its sharing, they will pass on their love.
Every one of my parents' 5 children are superb cooks. It's interesting that, of the 3 boys, all are the principal cooks in their families. This is also the case with my two sons.
I've posted photo's of my granddaughters enjoying my bread. Here's my (now 10 y/o) grandson at about 8 months:
I'm betting his someday spouse will be marrying another good Snyder cook.
David
he's trying to determine the hydration percentage of that bagel (or more likely supplementing it).
Glenn
"Superb cooks"? In my family that comment would have been greeted with comments such as "Your modesty is only exceeded by your personal beauty"! Of course we are English, and it's our job to be self effacing. Just kidding, A.
We had a similar saying in my family. We also had a saying pertaining to one who expresses his/her "modesty" with excessive vigor: "He/She has a lot to be modest about."
And then there is the story told of Frank Lloyd Wright:
He was called as a witness in an architectural malpractice case. When asked to identify himself, he said, "I am Frank Lloyd Wright, the world's greatest architect. The attorney was somewhat taken aback and responded, "You certainly are not modest!" to which Mr. Wright replied, "Ordinarily, I am quite modest, but today I am under oath."
David
Pride is among the most appealing of the Seven Deadly Sins, although gluttony and lust also rank right up there. If I were to select The Seven Deadly Sins they would be: (1) complaining, (2) emoticons, (3) wearing plaid trousers, (4) littering, (5) reality television, (6) tipping less than 18%, and (7) not voting. Surprisingly, no one has asked me to select The Seven Deadly Sins. [I know I just changed the subject, but it's my goll dang blog].
I could get all aww shucks, but I have to take David at his word (as an expert eater) and acknowledge that I could qualify as a "superb cook", though I plan to continue to improve my cooking. Genuine self-esteem in moderation is better than false modesty in excess.
Glenn
were limited to: "Try at least one bite before you say you don't want it".
Fortunately even my "I-want-only-pasta-or-white-rice-with-nothing-on-it" stepdaughter and my "getting-a-square-mouth-when-forced-to-try-at-least-one-bite" daughter turned to our great surprise into good cooks. My stepdaughter after an exchange year in Germany where a very nice grandmother taught her how to make pastry, and my daughter after she was exposed to high school cafeteria food instead of mother's home cooking (she is now a chef!)
So even a culinary Saul can turn into a Paul after all...
Karin
'forced-to-try'. My son was always and still is a finicky eater...but I love that he is a wonderful cook and only a couple of days ago sent me a photo, of him teaching my grand daughter how to make fresh juiced veggies and fruits...once so dreaded by him...he even had the same brand juicer I still have and use mine today after over 30 years...wow, did that photo put a big smile on my face, but I bet he still doesn't drink green juice :) I never forced them eat anything they didn't want to try, knowing that their tastes would mature as they grew up.
Sylvia
Glen, this bread looks just wonderful! I was rasised in the San Joaquin Valley; near Bakersfield. Where did your starter originate? When I was a little girl my father used to take me to a small family owned Italian Deli and their specialty was their home cured Pastrami and Fresh Sourdough rolls from the Pyrenees Bakery. The bakery back then was located right next to the deli; we never left the deli without picking up a few dozen of the rolls from next door. Your mini-baguetts look very close to those rolls. Just looking at your pictures and I can almost still smell and taste the flavor of those rolls . Great Job Glen! Don't worry about the scoring; I will loan you my electric scoring knife. <grin>
Cheers,
Francine
My starter, Bubbles, was obtained by accident in August from my brother David, as reported here: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19250/premarital-counseling-advice-my-baby-brother-aspiring-sourdough-baker.
I think he got the original starter from Ed Wood. It grew up in the Big Valley and moved to San Francisco, just like me.
Glenn
Actually, my starter was purchased from KAF, but that was so long ago that its character has evolved and stabilized as something quite its own.
It will be interesting to see how it changes living in San Francisco.
David
Bubbles is already becoming a native. I checked her this morning and she'd emitted bubbles spelling out "Go Giants !"
Glenn