Fresh Bread.

 Better stated - eating fresh bread with butter. 
 Tonites varieties were Serrano/Cheddar and Honey Wheat. After "scaling" or sizing the raw dough for my neighbors, I had about a half pound of each - so I put them in a basket together to rise, and then, when all others had been baked, this 'combo loaf' had its turn in the oven. 
It cooled during dinner but called to me when I was in the kitchen putting the bread in the oven for tomorrows LTN feed at the park.
 
Soft. Not very crusty. Delightful. The Honey/Wheat had a bit of crunch from the cracked wheat, but was mostly soft. The Pepper/Cheese looked a little scary - with the somewhat big slices of serrano looking back at me. But, once buttered, the crumb was soooo soft and a little tangy.

Fresh bread is a delight. I think it is a true gift from God. Flour, water yeast and a little salt and in this case, some honey and cracked wheat in one, and some serrano pepper and sharp cheddar in the other. Simple. Tasty. Glorious

Permit Renewal time

Well, my first renewal has come up and, this is the logical time for trying to get a few new products approved.  I tried two basic things:  Artisan Bread with Chickpea Flour and Ye Olde White Bread.  These were pretty simple (from a regulatory standpoint).

The other two were kind of tests - of what I can get approved.  Nothing risque, but something a little less 'plain jane'.  The idea of the fig bread (already approved for fig n fennel) was to have two varieties, but one label.  Why not be able to 'check a box' as to whether there were fennel seeds or honey - or even both?  Then, I could retire the fig n fennel label in favor of this dual purpose label.  Ahh, that gave Mr. Inspector a little heartburn.  The solution - eliminate the risque part - and just add another label.  OK

The idea with the focaccia label was to show the ingredients for the basic bread - and then have alternate ingredients (basil, rosemary, scallions, parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese) with a checkbox.  So, again, one label - many varieties.

The good news - the 'checkbox concept' was ok - but fresh herbs and mozzarella were not.  He said something about the CFO products needing to be 'shelf stable' and, if I used fresh rosemary or basil or scallions - something might go wrong.  I guess he didn't understand that when fresh basil, for instance, was placed on top of a bread (or inside) of bread that is cooked fro 20 minutes at 450º - even fresh basil would come out dried. I decided I would rather have the approval than win an argument,

It was ok to put any of those ingredients into the bread (or on the bread) dried - but not fresh.  Alright - then dried it will be.

Approval is expected any day.  Last year I found out that I was approved about 2 weeks after it happened - because of Christmas timing.

More to come.

Varieties - Additions to my Menu??

I have a small business selling fresh bread.  My goal is to make and deliver bread to people who live in the vicinity of my home/bakery within 2 or 3 hours of coming out of the oven.  I have chosen the dinner hours (between 6 and 7 pm) for my delivery.   Further, as I do not have a storefront, I take orders in advance and bake to order.  So far, I have less than ten regular customers.  While I would like more, I am concerned about capacity.  I do Not want to resort to doubling the time between coming out of the oven and delivery in order to increase my volume.

Regulation (by the county Health Department) means that I have to obtain approval for any and all bread varieties (via a detailed prescribed label approval process) before offering them for sale.  My renewal comes up in December.  They tell me that they will review 5 new varieties as part of the 'normal renewal fee'.  Additional varieties may be reviewed/approved at an hourly rate which is is equivalent to the revenue anticipated from 30 or more loves.  So, it is always an option if something wonderful comes along.

In my initial application, I became aware that the County wants me to be very specific (and limiting) to the extent that I had to specify whether I was using bleached or unbleached flour.

Because of the approval process for varieties I want to be able to sell, I need to figure out those varieties, the related recipe, the process for baking and then test the acceptance with objective bread people.  All of this before my application date.  And, this identification process takes time - months maybe.

So - The question for you is

What varieties should I add to my menu?  

My criteria?
Well, I want varieties that are
- widely popular
- made with equipment I already possess
- made with ingredients I either already have or which do not require refrigeration
- generally without oil, eggs, sugar or milk.  Powdered dry milk is a possibility.
- easy to pack and deliver
- have a 'wow factor' when tasted
- not including sourdough varieties

Of course, rules can be broken.  For example, I did not include 'plain old white bread' in my original submission and will include it this time.  Another example is focaccia - which uses a great deal of olive oil but testing has shown that it is widely (and wildly) popular - which will also be included this time.

So - I would be grateful if you would help me.  What varieties should I consider for addition to my menu?

How to Order from My Fresh Bread Company

rev Feb 24, 2017

My email address - MyFreshBreadCompany@gmail.com

Quickie for those on Lakewood Street, San Diego 92122:

Either:  A)  Email me to find out what's on the baking schedule, or 
B)  Go to the e-commerce site and order a loaf.  Pick a day - pick a variety (3 varieties to choose from) and pay ($5-$6 per 1# loaf).  The store is at squareup.com/store/my-fresh-bread-company

(while there are more than 15 varieties available, the store only shows three for the sake of simplicity)

For Others -    

How to Order

I bake two days a week (Mondays and Thursdays with few exception) and virtually all bread is made to order.

To have bread made for you, you need to order by noon on the day before the baking day (and have your order accepted - to make sure we have the ingredients).

Pick from one of three varieties offered and the day to be delivered from the web commerce site (or email me at the address at the top of this page)

For new customers, the delivery mode needs to be confirmed (you will get an email confirming that you are within the ‘Lakewood district’ for free delivery- or indicating that you are ‘too far away’ and you will need to pick up your bread between 5:30pm and 7pm).  Your email will include my text number so you can let me know when you are nearby and I will meet you in the culdesac with the bread - so you don't have to get out of the car.

To Start

Three of the 15 approved varieties are shown on the e-commerce site —

squareup.com/store/my-fresh-bread-company (or shortened, http://tinyurl.com/jm8r6wp) 

Each of these varieties is $5-$6 per 1# loaf (plus delivery as applicable).  

If you want one of the other varieties - but you are not ready to commit to a subscription of more than one loaf - you can order the Bread My Way - and in email me what variety you wish.  (see above for delivery approach). 

Once you are ‘in the family’, You can make it easier on yourself with an order of 4 loaves at a time (The Bread of the Day) - that’s one loaf delivered on each of the next 4 baking days.   The first time you do this, I will send you an email setting forth the 15 varieties available - and you tell me which of them you would NOT like included in varieties baked for you.  Then, I will ‘surprise you’ (within your selection) each baking day.  So far, I have one household that has ordered a 4x of this - meaning that they are pre ordering 16 loaves of bread and they said that they appreciate the surprise when each variety is delivered.  The pricing is $4-$5 per 1# loaf when you buy multiples of 4 (before delivery cost, if any).   

A further refinement of this is the ‘Every Other Thursday’ approach where you order 4 loaves at a time, but you only get one every other week (on Thursdays) so you can watch your carbs and still enjoy Fresh Bread over an 8 week period.  

And, if one of these approaches isn’t for you, let’s talk.  Email me at MyFreshBreadCompany@gmail.com and, tell me what you are thinking - before you spend a dime.  If you would prefer to talk on the phone - give me your phone number and when it’s good to call you - and I will.  

Do you get the message that I really do try to get you what you want and when you want it? 
I aim for a win/win and when you get fresh bread in your hands (often it is still warm and sometimes it will be hot) in time for dinner.  

If you have a special occasion for your group where Fresh Bread will help to make the event even more special - let’s talk (ie, email me).  

If you are still not convinced, then you NEED to sample this bread.  

Email me at MyFreshBreadCompany@gmail.com and let’s figure out how to get you a sample loaf or hunk.  

What people say:

“I forgot that my subscription ran out - and I missed the wonderful bread.  Sign me up - again.”

“I love the surprise each Monday and Thursday.  It’s always a delight to get fresh bread at my door.”

“ I don’t care what variety you deliver - they are all such a treat.”

“There is no where else in the area that I can find bread that is so fresh; so delicious; and so convenient.  Thanks.”

Fig N Honey cooling

And, some answers to common questions:

Q:  Why do you do this?

A:  After having tasted how wonderful homemade Fresh Bread is (and how relatively easy it is to make), I thought that others would enjoy it also.  As good as 'same day' bread is, Really Fresh Bread (under two hours out of the oven) is even better.  It doesn't have to be a 'once every couple of years' thing - we can have it every week.  It is a simple pleasure and I am trying to make it work on a Micro Bakery scale meaning limited production, limited delivery area and limited varieties - but outstanding bread.  

Q:  Is this ‘approved’?  Do you have a license?

A:  My Fresh Bread Company is a registered (and regulated) CFO (Cottage Food Operation) with the County of San Diego.  Each variety’s label has been scrutinized and approved by the County Dept of Health (to make sure I am not offering ‘dangerous foods’).  They do NOT inspect my kitchen - but do demand to approve varieties before they can be offered for sale and require that specific information be included on the label of each loaf offered for sale.

Fwiw - Bread is not considered a dangerous food.  Even the variety that includes cheddar cheese has been approved.  But, approval means that I cannot offer new varieties without going through the approval process - and costs about the sales price of about 30 loaves whether at the annual renewal (required) or at any time during the year.

I am always considering new varieties for approval at the next renewal.

Oats N Wheat (bagged and labeled)

Q:  What is the delivery area?

A:  The free delivery area is along Lakewood Street (near the east end of UC).  The 'fee delivery area' is the area along Governor Drive in University City (92122) and 1/2 mile or so north or south (with good parking access).  Delivery is $1 per order (if more than one loaf is ordered, I will bring $1 bills to 'rebate' the excess delivery charge collected).  Delivery must be agreed to by me in advance of accepting my obligation to deliver.

Outside this area, you must pickup the bread from my home (text me that you are there and I will bring the wrapped loaf out to you). You will be given a window of time for pickup.  

Q:  What if I need bread on a different day?

A:  It doesn’t hurt to ask and I will see what I can do - but make sure there is plenty of lead time, just in case you need to make other plans.

Q:  What are the varieties?

A:  Go here for a description of each:   myfreshbreadcompany.blogspot.com/p/bread-varieties

Q:  Will I be allergic to the ingredients?

A:  The County tells me what I can list as potential allergy causing ingredients.  Flour/gluten is listed on all varieties and one variety has cheese (dairy) before being baked.  A couple varieties include honey in the dough - but the County won't let me list that as a potential allergy source.  Otherwise, the ingredients include wheat and rye flour and grains, oats (steel cut and rolled), powdered cocoa, molasses, dried herbs and vegetables (rosemary, thyme, dill, fennel seed, onion, dried fig, and in one variety, fresh serrano peppers).  I use unbleached enriched bread flour along with home milled rye, winter hard white wheat and winter hard red wheat berries.  Focaccia and the white bread include olive oil but I don't use butter or other fats.  

Q:  What if I subscribe for several loaves - and then find out we will be out of town?

A:  Let me know in advance - and I will simply add the loaves for the days you are gone to the end so you get all your bread.

Q:  Why are you making 1# loaves?   Isn't that kind of small?

A:  Actually, that’s what my customers asked for.  They said if bigger, they would eat more - so a 1# loaf was best.  Actually, 1# is my minimum goal.  Each loaf has a label on it with the weight (in ounces and grams) and they generally run about 8-20 ounces - but have been up to 24 ounces.  Also, there are no preservatives added so it is best to eat it within 2 or 3 days.  The Thursday varieties also offer a 1.5# loaf (more to slice between the crusts) if that appeals to you.  If you are looking for something else, let me know.  

Lotsa Seeds cooling

Q:  Can I order more than one loaf at a time?

A:  Of course.  The e commerce page let’s you order several.  But, keep in mind that there are limits to production.

Q:  You make ‘round loaves’.  I want sandwich bread.  Can you make it in the normal ‘sandwich shape’?

A:  My normal routine is centered around the artisanal shapes.  I use it for sandwiches all the time.  But, if you like the bread and wish to have it more in the shape of wonder bread, let me know and I will see what I can do.

Q:  Speaking of sandwich bread, I don’t see any plain old white bread.  Will you have white bread? And, in the meantime, what variety do you propose in place of good old white bread?

A:  White bread is on my list for approval when I renew my registrations.   For now, try the White Whole Wheat.  It is about 20% white whole wheat - a grain that has all the benefits of whole wheat without the off flavor.  And, in this proportion, it is a soft and fluffy (vs heavy) bread.  Normally, you wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference other than the color of the crumb.

Honey Wheat half gone

Q:  The bread I tasted was pretty crusty.  Are all varieties crusty?

A:  Actually, I have some neighbors who seek crusty bread - like they had back home.  Some varieties are more suited to the thick crust and some, particularly those with honey in the dough can't take the temperature without burning, aka excess caramelization.  But, it’s not a sure thing whether the crust will be crispy or not - so I just enjoy it when it is crispy.  

Q:  Is this really baked in your home kitchen?

A:  Yes.  Most of it is baked in the upper oven of a two oven set using the convection setting.  I bake the bread on a pre heated stone mostly at 500º and supply a water mist several times during the first 15 minutes.  I am not really sure of my capacity - but there have been days when I have made 15#.  My concern is to be able to make the bread AND to get it to my customers while really fresh.  At this time, greater capacity while sacrificing freshness is not a success.

Q:  Why is this so inexpensive?

A:  By reducing waste, collecting in advance, and keeping the distribution area small, I can keep your cost low.  Maybe next year the price will go up, but for now, I want people to taste the joy of really fresh bread.

Q:  Why do I need to order the day before you bake the bread?

A:  Some varieties of bread are mixed 24 hours or more prior to being shaped.  This long period of fermentation allows the flour to ferment and develop flavor from the wheat flour as the yeast consumes and exhales.   Temperature impacts this process and it is more difficult to achieve desired results in the hot time of year.  Some artisanal bakeries mix a portion of the water and flour the day before (or sometimes, hours before) they mix the end dough in an attempt to get flavors to build in the dough.  Sometimes (as in the case of steel cut oats or whole wheat flour) the grain is soaked for 24 hours before it is mixed into a dough which ferments for 18-24 hours making the lead time even longer.  I can do this when I have subscriptions and know that I have orders in advance of the ‘noon the prior day’ deadline.   

Q:  Do you eat your own bread?

A:  Absolutely.  I think I am my biggest fan.  But sometimes, all the bread I bake goes out to others and I am left with no fresh bread after working with dough for several hours.  But, I know there can be more.

Q:  Do you teach?

A:  Yes.  I would love to have a part in helping people to learn to make good bread.  Right now, the plan would be to have the class in your own kitchen with at least 4 adults (from different households) in attendance and the class would last two hours.  Cost (at this time) is $25 per person.  There is a list of items that each 'student' needs to bring, but I will bring all perishables (flour, yeast, salt, spices) as well as dough at different levels and finished bread to taste.

Q:  Have you ever made a bad loaf?

A:  I think that bread is made up of crust, crumb and flavor - and looks.  I certainly have made ugly loaves.  Many came in the form of loaves that spread out - but didn’t rise up. Hopefully I learn from my mistakes.  Bad tasting loaves are fewer - but one time I left out the salt - and it was not a good tasting bread.  Experimenting with 100% whole wheat often makes a dense and short loaf with a strong taste.   I keep trying to make a whole grain bread with a soft and light crumb, decent loft and a good flavor (white wheat berries seem to be the answer to the latter and a special technique will open the crumb and give it height), but still haven't had great success.  But, I keep trying.  Let me know if you want to be a tester.  But, understand that I will not give you any of the really bad breads.  

But, my idea of a ‘bad loaf’ is when the bread comes out other than what I expected.   For example, if the dough over rises and it gets ‘too fluffy’, it’s not necessarily a bad loaf, but it’s not what I intended.  There are a lot of variables in bread and while too fluffy is not necessarily bad, I generally try to make bread that is ‘more meaty’:  risen but not overly so.  

Q: What if I don't like it?

A:  Tell me and you get your money back.  Understand that artisanal bread is rarely going to be the same twice in a row - due to conditions of the ingredients and the environment.  But, I want you to love this as much as I do - and if you don't, I will be sad - but give your money back. 

Q:  Samples?

A:  Yes, samples are available - email me.

56 at 3.17.17

Making Great Bread - Part 2 - Equipment

Now you have decided that you DO want to make Great Bread and you have a 'taste target' to shoot for - What is it that you will need to do?

I have come up with 3 basic steps in addition to eating your own bread.   You MUST eat your own bread.
If you don't cut it; taste it; evaluate the crust, crumb and taste, how do you know what you are producing?  
Of course you will see it,  so you can evaluate the looks (and compare your bread to the product of your favorite bakery), but as we said last time, looks aren't important unless it tastes good.

So - what's ahead of you in your journey to make Great Bread?  What can you expect?

You should plan on:

- Practice, practice, practice

- Focus on your style

- Use basic equipment

- Read what others are doing

Practice

Yes, you will need to practice and practice a lot. Even if you only strive to create one variety of bread, it's going to take practice to work out the kinks. But, plan also on practicing to figure out which recipe you will follow. After a bit of time, you will realize that there are recipes that you want to follow over and over - and there are other recipes that you never want to make again.

Items to consider in the recipe:

- Number of ingredients

- Accessibility and shelf life of ingredients

- The time it takes start to finish, interrupted or uninterrupted

- Batch size and whether it can be halved or doubled without issue

- Oven time, counter space, tools and cleanup required

- Sensitivity and precision required

Many of these things can be assessed as you read the recipe.

Why are they important? Example - While I would love to use whole cream in my breads, I don't want to keep it in the refrigerator and have to 'use it up' before the due date. So, I stay away from recipes with whole cream (or refrigerated products for the most part). And, if you don't enjoy making the recipe, you won't look forward to making it. And, if conditions have to be right in your home to enable adequate counter space and oven time or if making your recipe results in a giant mess that no one likes to clean up, the recipe will probably not be a 'go to' bread recipe.

Your Style

Practice also relates to the style (the next item). It's a sort of a 'chicken and egg' thing: as you practice and try various recipes, you will develop your style - and as you develop your style, you will gravitate to recipes that reflect that style.

In the beginning, I didn't know what they meant by style. But, as you taste different breads and try making them yourself, you start realizing that there are similarities to the ones you like. Some examples include sourdoughs (or naturally levened breads though they are not necessarily sour); dutch oven breads; no knead breads; lean breads(little sugar or fat); rich breads (containing eggs, sugar, oil). Also, one could specialize in breads of a particular nation: French, Italian or other breads. There are other breads with nuts, whole grains, dried fruits and even vegetables that may grab your interest.

And, what do you want your finished product to look like? Like the wonder bread loaf (using loaf pans)? Like bread from an artisan market (round and oval and long like french bread)? Like muffins - made in single serving portions? Each of these is baked separately. If you use no pan, then you need to make a loaf that is 'firm enough' to 'stand' on it's own while the oven warms it up and bakes it into it's shape.

Inherent is this 'shape' decision is the 'use' of the bread. An artisan loaf needs to be cut and every piece is a different size than the previous - so the sandwich eater needs to be a little tolerant. Also, those sandwich bags were made for square slices.

As you practice your bread making skills, you will have an affinity for certain types of breads and your style will become apparent.

What is best? The best style is the style you like to make and which you and those close to you like to eat.

Basic Equipment

Like any hobby, there are lots of people trying to sell you 'essentials' to making it easier for you to make better stuff. Bread making is no different. Of course, some of the things (like a a dutch oven) are essential to a certain style of baking and you don't know that you don't want to make that style without having tried the equipment.

Here's a list of where you might want to put your dollars - and then a list of some places where success is less certain:

A digital scale - Once you decide you are going to bake bread, you need a digital scale. The scale allows you to measure your ingredients on a consistent basis. While a cup measure may include more or less flour depending on how compressed the flour is, a gram is a gram is a gram of flour. A side benefit is that you don't have to clean up measuring cups as you can simply put your mixing bowl on the scale and add in your quantity of each ingredient. My scale has a readout that can be moved away from the base unit so you can read it even if you use a wide diameter mixing bowl.

If you have anyone in the house who has tried one of those 'point based diets', you may already have a digital scale. Use what you have and see where it gets you.

A quick read digital thermometer - How do you know when your bread is done baking? They say that you can turn the hot loaf upside down and thump the bottom. If it gives you a hollow sound, it's done. Also, it's done when it hits 195º to 210º F, depending on the recipe. I see the lower temp with whole grain breads and the upper with light breads. I generally go for 200º as my sign of done - and I haven't had a problem.

They sell 'instant read' digital thermometers for under $10 that take 15 or so seconds to read the temp. That's not instant when you are sticking your hand in a 500º oven. It may be what you use until you are ready for the big investment - but you take your loaf out of the oven to check the temp.

That primo thermometer is costs a little under $100 and is really instant read. If you are baking (and checking) 8 loaves a week, you will appreciate the real instant read capability.

A good sharp bread knife - Every loaf of bread needs to be sliced whether it is into sandwich slices or hunks. Your knife can make it a cinch, or a chore. The good news is that you can get a very good bread knife for under $10. I got mine at the Costco Business Center. Today, you can't buy one at a time, but you can get 2 for $12. An offset nylon handle and serrated blade, it can be sharpened with a stone. And, if you can't sharpen it (for some reason), buy another.

A baking (or pizza) stone - The whole concept of baking bread is based on heat transference. The hot oven brings the cool dough up to temperature, drying it as it heats. The bottom of the bread should set up before the top. Any expansion of the dough (oven spring) as the dough comes up to temperature should be toward the top and not the bottom. One way we see to this is to have a stone at the bottom of the loaf. The stone absorbs a lot of heat and then transfers it quickly to the base of the loaf.

A spray bottle - this is used to 'mist' the oven. A humid atmosphere allows the outer crust to stay soft to allow oven spring to come out the top (where the dough is slashed) rather than at whatever weak spot it can find (often, the side).

A pie tin - Used to put a little water into the oven where it will turn to steam - in addition to the spray bottle.

A couple of buckets or mixing bowls with a lid - kind of obvious that you need something to mix the dough in (if you are not using an electric mixer). The buckets are used to store the mixed dough as it ferments (from 1 hour to 24 hours). The buckets should 'fit' your batch size. In the beginning, if you don't have a lid, you can use plastic wrap or even a damp towel. The dough is covered so it doesn't dry out. It's important that the container be plenty big - so that it can expand as it needs to without inhibition.

Cooling Rack - With enough space to allow two batches of bread from your oven to cool.

Electric Mixer - This relates to style of bread, for most people. For others, working the dough by hand is not realistic. I find that hand kneaded dough and machine kneaded dough perform differently (at least in my kitchen). The machine kneaded dough is generally lighter/fluffier. But the hand worked dough (I do a 'no knead plus' approach) has a more satisfying 'bite' to it. It may not be as fluffy and tall, but it is rich and meaty. I would suggest that you borrow a mixer (like a KitchenAid) from a friend to find out whether you 'need' one for yourself. But, you don't need a mixer to make great bread. Look at the no knead videos on youtube. Thought they are usually one or two loaf batches, you can do the same thing with 4 pound batches, as long as your mixing bowl will handle that much flour (about one kilo).

Beginner Items?

If you are just starting out and don't know if this journey will go anywhere, try these starter items (without buying anything):

an oven proof pan with cover - 3 or 4 quarts (preferably metal). This eliminates the stone, spray bottle, pie tin and even thermometer.

a cooling rack

a big mixing bowl

a kitchen towel

The next installment will address mixing and baking.

Making Great Bread - Yes, YOU. Part 1

Do you want to make bread? Do you want to make better bread? Several professional baker/authors have said that it is possible to make better bread in a home kitchen than they make in their commercial bakery.

YOU CAN make GREAT BREAD at home.

Before we talk about how - we should talk about - What is Great Bread? - Why make Great Bread?

What is Great Bread - In my opinion, Great Bread is bread YOU (and those close to you) LOVE to eat. Generally we talk about bread having 3 areas of measure: Crust, Crumb and Taste

Crust - Some people like crispy/crunchy/thick crust. I understand that this is how many European breads are - and in my neighborhood, my neighbors from Switzerland and France love that crusty bread.

But many Americans prefer soft crust like the wonder bread they grew up with.

Crust comes as a result of the dough and the baking technique. I can get a crusty shell on some recipes, but not others - even using the same oven technique.

A soft crust can be achieved on most breads with an oven technique intended for soft crust - and then placing a not quite cooled loaf in a sealed plastic bag so the moisture softens the crust a bit more.

Crumb - I prefer a light and tender crumb. That comes from a good rise (more than 2x) and not overbaking, but allowing to fully cool before cutting. But others want more of a bite to their bread - kind of like pasta al dente. My double flax bread is often like this - a good, almost meaty texture flecked with whole flax seeds. While baking technique has an impact on the crumb, I think it is mostly the recipe.

Taste - Aside from some caramelization of a 'well done' crust, this is almost exclusively a result of the recipe. At least 8 of my 12 approved varieties are built on the same basic recipe - to which herbs, vegetables and even other grains and fermentation time are added for flavor.

What is Great Bread to YOU? What combination of Crust, Crumb and Flavor results in YOUR favorite bread?

You say that you don't really have a favorite? What do you do? Take 3 months and taste all the varieties you can - and keep a log of what you like. Eat it as fresh as possible - and sometimes not as fresh as you would like (but you can fix that in your own kitchen).

Once you know what you think is the best bread - you have a target. Then research (there is a lot of info on line) recipes for that kind of bread. Make sure you read the baker's notes as to technique and other intangibles. Pick a few different recipes and try them out. And, don't think that just because it came out that way one time, it will always be the same. And, focus on the flavor first. If it doesn't taste good, the looks won't matter. Looks are one thing that can improve with technique and practice. Flavor changes from technique are much more subtle than the visual changes.

Why should you make Great Bread? You really have to ask yourself whether it's worth the effort. If you can go to your favorite bakery and get bread as good as you think you might be able to make it WITHOUT the practice and expertise you need - MAYBE you DON'T think it's worth the effort to do it yourself. My favorite pies are pecan and banana cream. But, at certain times of the year, I can buy a wonderful pecan pie from Costco and get my fill. I have made pecan pies, and they have come out great. But, it's just not worth it to make them at home when I have this alternative. Yes, many Costco locations have artisan bread - and our's just put in a new bakery. If they can meet your desire for Great Bread - why do it yourself. That's a decision YOU have to make based on your alternatives.

And, as you see below (and we will go into depth in the future), YOU will need to make a lot of bread before you can expect to make a handsome loaf of bread with the crust, crumb and flavor of your preference. Is it worth it to you to go through this practice??

YOU need to answer these questions.

If YOU still want to make Great Bread (and you can), come back next week for the elements of making Great Bread. You will also learn through this series, just WHY YOUR BREAD can be better than your local bakery (even Costco's bakery).

A teaser -

What will help you make better bread?

- Practice, practice, practice

- Focus on your style

- Use basic equipment

- Read what others are doing

PB&J for the Hungry? Can you do this? Yes, you can.

PB&J for the Hungry - probably more info than you want to hear.


Simple approach -
Get a

• loaf (or two) of white bread (*)
• a Jar of Jelly (I used Welch's Grape)
• A Jar of Peanut Butter (I use Skippy's creamy - some of these folks have dental problems, so I stay away from the chunky variety)

On the Day of distribution

• Lay out the bread slices (by pairs) on the counter (I put about 12 pairs out at once - which is pretty close to a loaf)
• Spread the peanut butter (a good healthy amount that your father or brother would appreciate)
• Scoop out some jelly on the other side - again, almost as much as possible (like your brother or father would appreciate - and still be able to eat without a bunch of napkins to clean up)
• Fill as many zip lock (or other) sandwich bags as you need (I am able to place two sandwiches in each bag - why not fill them up?)

Place the sealed bags on a box (like the shape of a produce box from costco or something that is not too tall, but strong enough to carry all your sandwiches).  

At the appointed time, go to your appointed distribution spot.  Start out handing out one bag per person (and don't be offended if they decline your offer) and, if you have extras after making rounds, offer a second bag.

And, take a little time to chat with the folks you are serving.  How are they?  Are they enjoying the weather?  Do they have a roof?  Is their family in town?  

Respond honestly.  When appropriate, ask people if they would like you to pray for them.  Tell them when you will be back (and then keep your word).   I was surprised that some of the guys thought that 'jelly ruined a perfectly good peanut butter sandwich'.  No problem - next time, I brought some straight peanut butter sandwiches - and kept track of them, so I could deliver them to the guys who requested them.  

You will be surprised.  Treat them like God's children - beloved by Him.  

Yeah, you should probably go in teams of at least two persons -just cause.  Go to a place you have scoped out ahead of time - at the time/place you intend to visit when distributing.  Different places have 'meals' at different days of the week/month and the folks seem to 'migrate' as the opportunities arise.  

Details 

(*) - I make bread - so I make the loaves that turn into sandwiches.  They are not 'wonder bread' shaped - but they turn out a little different each time I do it.  Ignoring the cost of heat and labor, the ingredients cost about 45 cents a bag for about 24 bags of two sandwiches each (with each bag weighing about 6-8 ounces).  If you buy fresh bread, you would have to adjust your costs.  

I bake the bread the day before I am going to assemble the sandwiches and place them in a plastic bag overnight, so the crust softens.  I hand slice the loaves - trying to make the bread as thin as possible so it will hold the PB&J and not fall apart.  

Where - Actually, I tag along with some people who have a regularly scheduled 'feed' (two fridays per month) and hand out the bags after the folks have eaten their dinner.  The idea is that the PB&J sandwiches are for when hunger hits - in the night; in the morning; or whenever. 

If I was to try to find a place to do this - I would talk to people who provide services to the homeless and disadvantaged and get advice.  The goal is to serve them - so it's worth a little effort to figure out what that means.

When -  This one is for you:  When can YOU do this?  How often from a time and money standpoint does it work for YOU?  Can you commit for 3-6 months of doing this so that you can be regular and anticipated?  Is there another group where you can 'tag along' and help their 'clientele'?  

Remember, if it doesn't work for you - you won't keep it going - and it won't work in the long run.  

Do you have to do this MY way?

Absolutely not.  In fact, do it YOUR own way.  Do it the best way for the people you are feeding.  Maybe you will find out that PB&J is not what they need.  Maybe you will find that it's best to make your visit in the morning.  Approach this with doing what people need - and you will be doing the right thing.

I understand that I am lucky.  Someone else was gathering these folks - and I tagged along.  Maybe you can do the same  - tag along with another group.

And, if you would like to come see how it works - come see us.  Email me at BreadByDan@gmail.com and we can make arrangements.

I spend about two hours each afternoon on the 'feed days' slicing, spreading and bagging the sandwiches.  If you would like to help with that (in your own kitchen) let me know.

An Option - even Simpler...For You

I figure that it costs me (in out of pocket ingredients) about $12 per week.  Consider contributing $25 to cover the month.  Not deductible - just an investment in some people you will never meet.  If you DO participate with me - I will see what I can do to expand this effort - so someone else is making and distributing PB&J sandwiches to another group of folks in the San Diego area.  Maybe it will be someone who feels their heart tug when they read this post????  Maybe.  

And, don't forget to pray for those folks receiving the sandwiches.  They need so much more than a couple sandwiches twice a month.  We can lift them up a couple times and give them something to look forward to - but there are a lot of days in the month when we aren't there in the park.  

dan

Delivery Charges

Delivery Charges - Why, When and How Much.

Background - Delivery is ONLY available in the UC area - preferably along the Governor Corridor that runs from 805 in the east almost to I-5 in the west.  That's because I don't want to spend  a lot of time delivering - rather making and baking and knowing that my customers are enjoying really fresh bread.  If the bread spends a lot of time in the back of my truck - it is less fresh than I want it to be when it gets to my customers.  And, I can't make more fresh bread while I am out delivering.  Maybe with enough delivery fees, I can hire a delivery driver???  But, even so, the routes would have to be short - so the bread doesn't age out of its prime in the back seat.

Why are there delivery Charges????
Because of the time it takes away from baking.  If you pick up the bread - the interruption is minimal and the delivery charge can be avoided entirely.  If you live on my street, then it's my pleasure and a good neighbor thing to deliver to your doorstep - no charge.

When do Delivery Charges apply?  Such charges apply for each delivery outside of my home street (and adjacent cul-de-sacs).  My 'good exercise' excuse (and discount) doesn't apply when I need to get in the car.  So, if I need to start up my car - there's a charge.  But, that means that delivering to a house near Sprouts is the same charge as delivering it around my block.  At least for now.  We will see how this goes.


And, How much are Delivery Charges?  Delivery Charges are $1 per delivery outside my home street.  Simple enough??  With most orders being a single loaf, this works.

But, you say, each loaf of bread outside of your home street is marked up with a $1 charge.  When I order 3 loaves, I get charged $3 for delivery.  What about that, you say?
Well - the Square system can't handle such detail.  My response - you will be charged the $3 in delivery fees as you order, but you will receive $2 in cash along with your bread.

Making Bread - What's Most Important???

Bread is pretty simple stuff.  There's only looks, feel from the outside, crumb  - texture, taste, holes - and the crust in your mouth.  Or put another way - looks, taste and texture.  So, of these three, what's important - and what is not?

I would propose that looks is the least important for the loaf you are going to eat.  Yet, it is probably looks that makes you choose that same loaf (unless you are able to taste it).

What's most important - I would say taste (including mouth feel).

If there was a fantastic looking loaf - that didn't taste good; or was too chewy or too stiff - who would want it?  It would be like those plastic sushi models that are in some windows.

If you found a loaf that didn't look so good, but tasted fantastic, then you found the diamond in the rough.  Keep it your secret or share it because it is the taste that makes you feel good.

But, if that loaf looks great AND, it tasted fantastic, then that's bread worth eating - even in a world of too many carbs.

Oats n Wheat with fermented steel cut oats

Fig n Fennel Artisan Bread

Black Mission Figs + Fennel Seeds = sweet fig flavor against a slightly licorice background with the crunch of fig seeds.  Crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.

18 oz loaves are just enough to be a treat with coffee or wine (or even beer), but not so much as to get tired of it.

It's a treat.  Of course, fresh bread of most varieties is a treat.  Enjoy.

A new bag of flour

When I get a new bag of flour - I transfer it from the 50# paper bag into several containers.  A couple of these sealable containers hold about 10 pounds each, one holds about 25 pounds and one about 5. I cut the 'identification label' off the bag and tape it the bucket.   I use a big scoop to transfer the flour - but I see the flour and smell it.  I see the consistency.

The flour is the foundation for the breads that will be built on it.  Whether it is the freshly milled rye or wheat berries that add heft deepness to the flour of the rosemary, thyme or dill that gives an altogether different caste to the lightness of the flour or the fig and fennel that provides the sweet/licorice-like contrast or the meatie texture that comes from flax meal and seeds added to the dough.

Then I think of what it will make.  Round crusty loaves for my customers - very soft on the inside and yet crunchy.  Flavorful from the resting time it gets with water and a little yeast, yet mild.  No preservatives, oils or chemicals added - just water, salt and yeast --- and time.

Baked on the stone - steam sprayed to help with the oven spring and crust building flavor.  Removed from the oven at it's finish temperature.  Only twelve approved flavors for sale - but endless opportunities to try.

And, the pizza crust - to hold the flavors that serve as a focal point for a family gathering.  It's a challenge to get that crust finished while also getting the toppings cooked, but not burned.  Subtle and bold flavors all held together with the crust which could be fluffy or crisp or somewhere in between.

And, the PB&J sandwiches for the homeless.  A hundred or more in the month.  Good calories and protein to tide them over  - as they take them where they go from the distribution point.

From a white powder in a brown paper bag on a big box shelf to joy and food and goodness.  Almost anything is a day away.  Smiles and nourishment and flavor and sustenance.   All in that bag - now in my kitchen soon to be in the hands of others.

What if you didn't have to Plan in Advance??? What if you could just say - Yes - I want some???

SameDay
One of my 'tester families' said that people just don't like to plan in advance.  So, to think today (Thursday pm) about ordering bread for delivery on Monday  - well that's just not on their radar.

True?  Is bread an impulse thing?  Certainly, ordering a day or three in advance of cutting it open isn't really an impulse thing - it takes planning.

Dill-Onion Artisan Bread - crispy on the outside and soft on the inside

Ok - what if .....

What if you gave me your email address.  What if I make a couple extra loaves each time I bake to order.  Then, when I have bread, you get an email telling you what kind of bread is ready and a link to the web store item.  If interested follow the link and buy it - first come, first served.

The web store will know the quantity available - and when it's gone, no more orders will be accepted.

If you are in my 'delivery zone', I will deliver it.   If outside - you have to come get it before 7pm.

How is that for almost instant gratification?

But, I cannot email you if I don't have your email address!!   Send it to me.

some details (aka, the fine print):
You will be notified by noon on either Monday or Thursday (the baking days) as to what variety is available.
You are on the email list - until you tell me you want to be removed.
There is no obligation on your part - until you buy (and pay) for a loaf.  Then, your obligation is to pick it up if you are outside of the delivery zone.  But, you are under no obligation to buy anything - any time.  
There are no preservatives in the bread - so please enjoy it soon after you get it (and don't forget to toast some).  
If the bread is delivered to the address you used to order and you are not home, the bread will be placed on your doorstep.  It's yours.
If you are outside of the delivery area, I will give you my address for pickup in an email acknowledging your purchase.
If you are to pick up the bread - and fail to do so by 7pm that night - you have made a gift of the loaf to me.  I can do whatever I deem proper with it.  But, I want you to have it - so please show up.

What Kind of Bread do we eat at My House?

Interesting question - because my house is the center of the experiments.
I eat toast most mornings.  My office is in my home, so I often have a sandwich for lunch.  And, though we rarely have bread with the evening meal, I do often have a piece of toast when the hunger bug hits in the evening.  So, we eat a lot of bread in my house - and I think I eat the most.

But, I want bread that I want to eat.  That said, I don't always have choices.

IF I had a choice, I would ALWAYS choose fresh bread.  I like soft and tasty bread.
I would always choose bread that is good for me - that is soft and tasty.

This morning, we had some Asiago Olive bread from a regional bakery - I think that part of the attraction is that you have to go 40 miles to get it.  It is a couple days old.  It has lots of items on the ingredient list including words I cannot pronounce.  But, it is soft and tasty.

I also have some 6 day old whole wheat bread left over from an experiment.

I was toasting the bread and putting a slice of chicken sausage and microwaved eggs (soft yolk) on top - basically burying the toast literally and flavor wise.

I chose the whole wheat bread for breakfast today - sliced very thin and toasted with butter on it.  With the hot sausage and egg on it, and then sliced into bite sized pieces, I ate it with a fork.  It was nice.

Yesterday, for lunch, I had chicken breast (sliced from a Costco rotisserie chicken) on the Asiago/Olive bread with mayo and a touch of salt.  It was very good.  The wheat bread was a little old for a sandwich, but the loaf bread was great.

My favorite bread is the Rosemary Thyme bread.  It's great for poultry sandwiches, toast with butter or just buttered.  But, it doesn't have any whole wheat in it = and that bothers me a little bit.  "They" say that whole wheat can be added to any recipe - at 20% with no ill effects and often at 40% with no heaviness - and dough conditioners can be added (lecithin, potato flakes, or oil) can be added to 'lighten up' dough made heavy with whole wheat.  Alas - do I want to complicate it?

But, a big part of the attraction of the Rosemary Thyme bread is the softness.  I don't think that a stiffer crumb, though tasty, would be as good.

That said, I am looking forward to some Onion Dill bread that is in fermentation right now.  Similar crumb and crust, but a different taste.  Best uses??  Hmmmm, I am not sure.  It certainly would be good with soups.  I think it would be good with poultry sandwiches.  And, I am sure it would be great just buttered - whether plain or toasted.

Rosemary Garlic Wow

Subtle Garlic.  Smooth and light Rosemary.  Flavors made for each other.  Blended in a creamy dough right from the oven.  Oh - and those chunks of garlic and here and there a whole clove - garlic with flavor softened by baking.  Soft crumb with crispy crust and sweet baked garlic.

That's the Rosemary Garlic Artisan Bread.
Pictures don't do it justice.

Pictures don't show the softness of the crumb

Pictures don't show the subtle smell of garlic and rosemary

Pictures don't show the crispness of the crust

Only a loaf of Fresh Fresh Bread can show the crumb, crust and taste of the bread.

My Fresh Bread Company's breads are prepared over 24 hours or more so the flour, water, salt and yeast ferment and, in this case, the garlic chunks permeate the dough.  Each loaf is baked individually and tested individually for doneness and then cooled to complete the baking process.  The immediate result is a crispy outer shell and a soft and tasty crumb. In this case, that crumb is infused with the flavors of dried rosemary and pieces of garlic cloves.

A simple pleasure.

White Sandwich Bread???

Bread making, to me, is a kind of art.  The combination of making the contents, giving it character and flavor and then making it into a form that is attractive are all parts of creating each loaf of bread.  And, when I think of an Artisanal Bread, white bread does not come to mind.

But, some people want white bread for a sandwich.  Even PB&J.  These sandwiches are just not the same with rosemary thyme bread or crusty double flax bread or caraway rye.  Sometimes, it seems, you just want soft white bread.

In fact, simple white bread is the easiest of all of the varieties to make.  It's a little different baking in a pan, but that's even easier than a free form loaf that needs to hold it's form to so a taller loaf comes out of the oven than what went into the oven.

Here it is - with the mushroom head and fluffy white crumb.  The crust is softer, but not soft.  Keep it in a plastic bag and it gets/stays soft.

Sometimes- white bread:  It's what's for lunch.

Wheat Grinders - what about a coffee grinder?

I've been looking at wheat grinders (aka, mills) lately.  First I look at what I have in the house.

The Vitamix we got a year ago said it makes flour.  Well, it's kind of coarse - and it seems that it is either all done that way or with big pieces.  That is, you can't simply grind all to various levels of coarseness.

My under $50 coffee grinder does a good job on coffee, though it is messy.  As it recently broke, I found out that this model is criticized for 'coffee dust'.  I have tried grinding grain in it in the past - which might be responsible for it breaking.  I cleaned the unit and then grinded (sp?) rice to clean it more and then tried the wheat.  Not much better than the Vitamix - and a real hassle to go from coffee to wheat.

By the way, I found that wheat berries (particularly the hard varieties) are harder than coffee and as the coffee grinder is meant for coffee - it's not meant for grain.  Also, we use teaspoons of coffee at a sitting - but cups of flour.   As I shopped on line for coffee grinders, I found that very few even talk about grain grinding.

I do have a hand crank grain grinder.  It is what I use to make fine flour and course ground wheat.  It does fine, but takes a lot of time.  I could buy a motor that connects where the crank connects, but no, I don't think it is good enough to invest more into.  And, the idea of being able to grind wheat even if there is no power seems to be the main attraction.  Yes, buying a motor doesn't eliminate the ability to crank it by hand, but as I said, it's not so great that it should serve as my every day mill.

added - As other 'grinders' in our house do much better for fine ground wheat, I tried the hand cranker for course ground wheat.  I put this into my whole wheat bread to give it more texture.  I soak it before mixing up the final dough - so it is moist.  The hand grinder does well - when set right - and makes pretty quick work of a couple cups of wheat berries.  So - for the preppers or those with a small budget - don't overlook the hand cranker.  Use your energy in the kitchen - not in the gym.

This hand cranker seems to be a steel roller style mill.  Others are ceramic or stone wheels and are either flat or conical grinders.  From what I read, the state of the art (for coffee or wheat) is conical burr style.  The burrs can be made of steel or ceramic or stone.  As I understand it, the heads do not (or should not) ever touch, but, by decreasing the space between the two heads (one of which moves and one is static) a finer flour is attained.  I don't know what would happen if the harder wheat berries were used in this small space.

The home wheat mills can also be steel or stone or ceramic heads.  The move very fast.  Most mills say that you start the motor and then add the wheat so you are slowly (relatively) increasing the burden on the heads.

They say that excess heat during milling will kill some of the nutrients of the wheat.  But, a couple sites said that by introducing refrigerated or frozen berries, you overcome the heat issue.  Other issues include noise, size of machine, and fineness of flour - though most will create fairly fine flour.

As said in a previous post, many flours are blends of several (or at least a couple) types of wheat in order to obtain certain characteristics (protein for example) in the flour.  When you mill your own flour, you don't have access to a whole bunch of different types of berries (or a chemist to measure certain qualities) so you get out of the mill the flour from the grain you load in the top.  And, there is some variety - probably field to field and surely farmer region to farmer region - in wheat berries from different sources.   So, although it is difficult to get a variety of characteristics from a batch of wheat berries once milled, you do get what you get.  It is important to use those characteristics to the best advantage.

So, my search for a coffee grinder ended up with two solutions:  A) a replacement part for the part broken in my flat burr coffee grinder, in part, because I don't know the long term solution, and B) I purchased a hand cranking well reviewed conical burr coffee grinder.  This hand cranker is known for the ability to make very fine coffee grounds, but has a shortfall when grinding more coarse grounds for a french press or drip coffee maker.

And, I have given up in a grinder that can handle coffee beans AND hard wheat berries.

In the future, I think, is a grain mill to grind fine bread flour from whole berries IF I can develop recipes/processes that will result in whole wheat bread that has great flavor, great crumb and crust and great appearance while being good for the eater.  If it was as tasty as current recipes with more than 50% whole wheat flour - it would be a winner.  But, that discovery is yet to be found.