Artisan Bread

I have been making Artisan Bread lately. My definition is simple ingredients, usually but not always crisp crunchy crust, and usually fancy looking.

The real definition is bread made by hand, at home.

What I really like to do is do a preferment, type method, usually overnight. So, I mix up usually all the dry ingredients, minus most of the flour and anything liquid besides water or milk.

So I mix up usually 2 cups of water with 3 cups of flour, and about a tablespoon of yeast, 2 tsp. of salt, and a little sugar for the yeast to eat.

Than, in the morning I mix in the rest of the flour, and or egg or oil and and kneed it. Though lately I have been using a method to get the crust crispy which means I leave the dough somewhat sticky. After I let it rise once I shape it into loaves put them on the pan and let them rise, than right before I put them in the oven I brush them with egg or milk if I want it, and or make slashes on the top.

I usually have a pan of water in the oven while it is warming. I than bake the bread usually at 400ºF or higher, for a crispier crust. For the last 5 minutes I turn the oven off and get the moist air out of the oven, I take the bread off the stone and directly on the rack. After 5 minutes I take it out and let it cool completely.


Now, on to gardening and other.

Last night I made some artisan pizza dough and it was really good! Than we went to Pops in the Park. We played Rook while we listened to the concert.

I got up at 5:40 this morning. Read my bible and prayed, came down, made a cup of coffee and went down to the garden. I did a lot of weeding and picked a few blackberries for breakfast. :) I turned the compost pile, turning the middle compost pile onto the right stack.

I finally came up at 8:00am and got a bowl of granola. I got some water and went back down. I weeded for another hour. Came up, had devotions with the family and figured out what I needed to do.

Since then I harvested three zucchini , three cucumbers, and some oregano.

I made a dog food and water bowl thing. Not sure how to explain it, but I made basically a box that is rectangular, the top has to holes where the dishes sit down in. I put the dog food down beneath and the two bowls on top. It is great, and was fun to make.

I made some more bread today, I made some yesterday also for lunch. I'm into making bread a lot arn't I? :)

Anyway, not sure what else is planned for the agenda. Hopefully do some more gardening work, and pick some blacberries. Mix up some sticky bun dough. And some other jazz. :)

Have fun everybody, and a blessed Lord's day tomorrow!

Cheers!
English Vintner