#realkitchens

[amandafairchild]

The - gah, what do you call it..?? 😶😶😶 SUN! The sun was shining this morning! 🌞 So here is the flowering cactus thing on my kitchen windowsill 🌷🌵 Is the sun shining where you are..? #sunshine #herecomesthesun #springiscoming #flowers #mykitchen #realkitchens #happy #dontlookatthemess #willcleanlater #honest https://www.instagram.com/p/B9yuxD5AkJO/?igshid=guurthfl307h

[chefbbzing-blog]

Living that red bean life! @zingermansroadhouse @camelliabeans #redbeans #stiritup #eatlikeasoutherner #eatannarbor #realkitchens (at Zingerman's Roadhouse) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2rUar2JWme/?igshid=pk0shwd1i1xb

[bejonp]

Levain starter on cruise control with day 4

I feel there needs to be a theme song for the start of each blog in this series. Something like the NFL on Fox intro, feels a bit epic and gets you pumped up for what is to come. I need some horns, some percussion. You know what I mean?

Oh, how about I get on to what I am here to talk about.

Day 4!

This morning I was greeted with a less assertive aroma, that almost had fruity undertones. Is that possible? I don’t know, I haven’t done this before. But my levain was a leathery pillow of moisture, gas and pungency. Good morning indeed.

There is some interesting texture going on there. And as I mentioned about the moisture content, when the mix is completed on the previous day, all of the whole wheat flour and water are fully incorporated when I complete the mix. So obviously my culture has been hard at work. Today’s rise wasn’t quite as high as yesterdays, but it was pretty darn close. At the bottom of the image you can just make out the mark for the 2L volume of this tub. Yesterday we were right at the 2L mark, today just a tad under. But there was plenty of bubbly and gassy activity in the container, so the levain marches on.

Throw in a quick day 4 mix of more whole wheat flour and water, and mix!

If the technique works the way it should, following a 5 feeding which will not just include a whole wheat flour feeding (in lower quantity) but will be augmented by a white flour feeding. Furthermore, by the afternoon I should be in a position to use a portion of my culture in a dough mix. Fingers crossed!

On  your marks, get set, bake!

This post is part of a series tracking my levain build process and first leavened bread bake. Below are the posts that belong to this series.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4 (this post)

Day 5

Day 6

[theappalachianhomestead]

Wash & slice Zuchunni and Squash Thinly slice an onion Lay down a bed of zucchini and squash and sprinkle with your favorite green seasoning (ours is homemade if you want the recipe I’ll share it tonight inside The Compound Club) Lay down sliced onions atop the squash and zucchini Top with a sliced up 1/2 c of butter and 2 tbsp of cornstarch Add a layer of cheese of choice Add another layer of squash and onions then season with more seasoning. Add another layer of cheese Toss Panko with butter and lay down atop the casserole. Bake @375 til done (you may need to cover w foil if it begins browning too quickly) Voila my daughter and husbands favorite side dish. #sidedish #sidedishes #sidedishrecipes #sidedishideas #sides #imhereforthesides #cookingfromscratch #cookingathome #homecooking #realkitchen #cookingforreal #keeperathome #homemaker #wearethehomemakers #homemakers #homeschoolmom #homeschoollife #homesteadmama #homesteadmamas https://www.instagram.com/p/CjYMLVSu1Ot/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chanellulu]

Racconigi's Castle ❤️ #racconigi #castellodiracconigi #residenzesabaude #savoia #homedecor #homedesign #housedesign #monuments #monumenti_italia #italy #italia #piemonte #piedmont #art #arte #moda #fashion #vogue #style #luxuryhome #luxuryhouses #bedroom #happyme #realkitchen #happiness #lifestyle #myfavorite #king #cucina #kitchen

[efabuloushb]

By nature, I am a #blkcreative. I think by nature, I also love numbers. By nurture, I am an accountant. By Blessing, I am a Mother. By luck and determination I am surviving. . . . Being a working Mom and trying to create is the hardest thing. There is never enough time to be alone with my thoughts long enough for true inspiration. When I am alone, all I want to do is nap because I am sooooo exhausted. . . . But I keep going. Maybe one day I can sit back and read through all my prose, go through all my sketches, admire all my wonky paintings and at least say I lived out loud as much as I could with great fervor. . . . #RealWorkingMothers #RealKitchens #LifeOfASuperMom #GenXerMom #Over40Blogger #QuirkyGirlWithTightCurls #MommyFab #EfabulousHB #FabWorld #BlackAmericanWoman #Motherhood #BeautifulBlackMothers https://ift.tt/2PV7dUR

[thewhitekitchencompany-blog]

Super tap with super sink. What a team 💪🚿 #twkc #thewhitekitchencompany #kitchen #design #classic #wooden #cabinets #cupboards #handmade #handcrafted #wood #kitchens #kitchendesign #interior #homeinteriors #contemporary #painted #inspiration #taps #sink #basin #doublebasin #washingup #realhomes #realkitchens #traditional #traditionalkitchen #classicdesign #bespoke

[whiskandbrush-blog]

Saturday sorrows. 😩 #realkitchens

[mynuejeens]

Start of my Crawfish Ettouffe :) #Noms #realkitchens #myfood

[chefbbzing-blog]

Cobblers of peach! @thepeachtruck @zingermansroadhouse #summerfood #realkitchens #realfood #realpeople (at Zingerman's Roadhouse) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzysM3wpxWY/?igshid=769x560gusm4

[chefbbzing-blog]

So much food tonight @primorestaurant. Meals like this make me wanna be better on many different levels. Getting to meet melissa and see her kitchen was pretty top notch too. #maineeats #farmtotable #realkitchens #realfood #realpeople (at Rockland, Maine) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByopoZopd31/?igshid=uon6j1qad936

[chefbbzing-blog]

Seemed like proper footware for today. #kitchentuneup #gettowork #hustle #realkitchens #realpeople #realfood @hedleyandbennett #apronsquad #sockstoo (at Ann Arbor, Michigan) https://www.instagram.com/bob.bennett.520/p/BvHS8rNgjZx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=t5p8qrs676gs

[bejonp]

Levain starting its engines on day 3

Last night  I was thrilled to be greeted by a healthy rise. My levain rose to well over double the original size of the previous morning feeding and mix. And the aroma had a nice kick to it. I could see a fine cloud of gassiness in the container suspended below the lid. Exciting stuff! Science is happening in this food safe container, what more could I want?

Day 3 is here!

The sweet seriously pungent smell of near victory?!?! Lifting the lid on the tub was like sending the go command to take the hill, only the hill was my nose and the assault was an olfactory affair. Whew!

Ok, maybe the smell wasn’t quite that offensive. Operation levain is well underway. The aroma from the tub was nonetheless a bit strong with heavy acidic character and an overall sour smell. Right on schedule, it would seem.

Interestingly, after completing the mix of whole wheat flour and water this morning, very little of the culture stuck to my hand. Clearly the culture has taken on new physical attributes as it continues to grow, and the feel of the levain has moved past a tacky substance to something more like a porridge. By the way, that description sounded a bit more appetizing than shredded soggy newspaper.

Here’s what I am left with following the morning feeding.

Onward and upward! Just a few more days (fingers crossed) until this culture gets used in a blonde rustic boule.

On your marks, get set, bake!

This post is part of a series tracking my levain build process and first leavened bread bake. Below are the posts that belong to this series.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3 (this post)

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

[bejonp]

Levain day 6, several days later

I suppose I was supposed to post on day 6.  It’s day 6! No it’s not. So what happened?

Well, let’s just say that day 6 didn’t go well. Day 5 featured a dough, it had some nice aromas, looked like it might be ready to actually become bread after I completed the final mix. We should be able to make this work. After all, I followed the process. This is going to work because a professional baker said so, right?

Ok, maybe not so much. The dough didn’t come together. And it wasn’t about the professional baker. I don’t actually think there was a problem with the technique. Where I went wrong was in not trusting my own instincts.

I’ve been baking bread on and off for the past year and change. And in that time I had hoped I had learned something about the process and the feel of a dough with good gluten structure. About how a bread should feel through its various stages of coming into being, how it should look and taste when out of the oven. About how to rest a dough, what should happen through the rise, how to administer a dent test, and maybe even having an inkling about when a dough has proved properly. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready to step into the tent on bread week. But in my home kitchen, I can pull together a nice loaf. 

Back to the levain and my lack of trust in my own instincts. In retrospect, I should have known the dough was too wet. I should have known there wasn’t enough gluten structure. I should have known the dough was out of balance.

Ironically, I did. I did know what was wrong. I knew the dough needed more gluten formation. I knew the dough was too slack, and its moisture content was out of whack.

I know these things because on Saturday morning I tried to salvage the dough (and tried to recover my bannetons that were caked with sticky dough) by kneading, reducing the hydration levels and by trying to get a slack dough to hold a shape that didn’t act like a liquid in a container. Flour was everywhere, the dogs were in hiding, it was a desperate attempt. We may never see the cat again.

Alas it was too little too late. And if the Summer games were being played locally, I’d have gladly donated the discus for the throw. My bake went south in a major way. I didn’t get a shape that was consistent, I didn’t get a good rise, there was no oven spring. What came out of the Dutch oven was a pleasant smelling ovoid object that resembled bread with a seriously hard crust and no crumb.

What I was left with was a frustration that took me a while to get over. Thus the delay in this post. I’m over it now. My levain culture is in hibernation in the fridge awaiting a second go at the leavened bread. The culture see the light of day once more, wherein during such endeavors I shall trust my instincts. I’ll knead. I’ll pay closer attention to the feel of the dough. I’ll make sure I have good gluten structures. I’ll make sure hydration seems right. And hopefully, I’ll have something wonderful to eat.

I failed this time, but the next will be at a minimum incrementally better than the last until I get it right. 

On your marks, get set...  Hang on, we’ll bake soon.

This post is part of a series tracking my levain build process and first leavened bread bake. Below are the posts that belong to this series.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6 (this post)

[bejonp]

Levain day 5 standing by

It’s Day 5!!!

Why am I so happy about it? I’m glad you asked. Today’s feeding was the first deviation from a 2 ingredient mix-in of whole wheat flour and water. Today I shifted to a predominantly white flour mix in with a small portion of whole wheat flour and water. 

Was that a shameless plug for King Arthur Baking? Hmm, maybe... The tub is now tucked in a warm corner of the kitchen, working its magic. As per the Forkish technique, the levain is technically built at this point, and this morning’s feeding was a shift from the build stage to the maintain stage.  And if that isn’t the fun part, if all goes to plan today I’ll be setting up for a final dough mix late this afternoon after giving the levain a good 7-8 hours of magic time.

After a final dough mix, the dough will get an overnight bulk fermentation rest followed by dividing and shaping, a final proof and then an evening bake tomorrow.

Hint, that was the exciting part. It has been 5 days of fun work which will turn into the reward of a leavened bread with dinner. The bannetons are ready and waiting, let’s do this!

On your marks, get set, bake!

This post is part of a series tracking my levain build process and first leavened bread bake. Below are the posts that belong to this series.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5 (this post)

Day 6

[bejonp]

Levain build - day 2

Well, well, well...

Today is day 2 of my levain starter build here in bread week (sorry, no tent), and what did I find? A slightly pungent and gassy mass of doughy goodness. What started on day 1 as a rather stiff dough now has good moisture and a tingly nasal treat.

I’m sure it looks an awful lot like day 1, but there is a heck of a lot more moisture in the container after the 500g additions of whole wheat flour and water at 90 degrees.

Now off in the corner you go you tub of goodness in the making. By the end of today this should expand rather vigorously and be dotted with bubbles if our good man Mr. Forkish is correct!

As for my impressions, through checking the progress along day 1 I was a bit dubious. The dough felt too firm. Having baked bread in the past, my initial instinct was that the levels were off. Considering that there was 100% hydration, the dough felt far too firm. Granted I’ve never worked with whole wheat flour and all of my creations were constructed with AP flour, but it is clear that white flours absorb water far less than wheat varieties. Good call Mr. Forkish, point.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the tub holds for me tonight!

On your marks, get set, bake!

This post is part of a series tracking my levain build process and first leavened bread bake. Below are the posts that belong to this series.

Day 1

Day 2 (this post)

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6