Dessert and Great Bread-What more does a girl need? (Saturday, February 20, 2016)

Hello, and happy February!

It's finally warming up here (after a sudden snow storm this past week!) and Ah Choo (my rag doll cat) has been wanting to spend more time out on the deck.  (My sister took this picture.  It looks like a studio portrait, doesn't it?)

He gets to watch the neighbor's dogs and watch the birds fly by.  While he was sitting out there this morning, a pigeon came to sit on one of the pillars.  My first thought was-"Don't you realize there's a cat sitting a few feet away?!"  Apparently not, although Ah Choo tried very hard to reach him, chattering at him the entire time.


Since I was unable to go to Hawaii this winter to cook for my personal chef client (alas, the downside of working at what Jordan calls a "real job"), I was available to make Valentine's Day desserts at Gas Lamp restaurant.  We decided on Eton Mess (what could be better than whipped cream, strawberries and meringue?  OK....maybe chocolate!) and Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting.  The cupcake recipe came from the cookbook, "Cupcake Diaries" from DC Cupcakes. All my desserts sold out!!  YAY!

I've started to bake bread again, trying to make a more palatable whole grain loaf.  I still really like using Jim Lahey's "no knead bread" recipe consisting of 3 1/2 cups of bread flour, 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp yeast.  I have found, however, that using whole grains requires more yeast so for this loaf, so increased the yeast to 1 tablespoon.  I also increased the salt to 2 teaspoons, which improved the taste of the bread.  

So, I used 1 3/4 cups of bread flour, 1 3/4 cups emmer flour (considered an ancient grain), 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of yeast and 2 teaspoons of salt to make my bread dough.  Mix it all together, and let it sit on the counter, covered with plastic wrap, for 12-16 hours.

Its ready to shape into a loaf when the dough has risen and is bubbly and smells a little like fermented alcohol.  It makes its own "biga" while it sits on the counter, hence the need (usually) for little yeast.  I used a pastry scraper to get it out of the bowl and onto the floured counter and shaped it into a boule.  I also like the way Jim Lahey bakes his bread in a preheated Dutch oven inside a hot oven.  This method gives you an artisan looking loaf just like you'd get at an artisan bakery.  Here are the results:

I finally got a two thumbs up on flavor from Jordan.  It was good-makes great toast too!

Totally not food related, but my best friend is coming to town next Sunday and we're taking a girl's road trip through northern California.  Can't wait!  Reno to San Francisco then up the coast.  Gorgeous country.  And time with my best friend!  I'll take plenty of pictures. :-)

Til next time-Bon Appetite!