November 15, 2020

The pursuit of perfection......

 

It sure looks pretty, doesn't it?  And it is, and it was delicious and wonderful.  Sourdough baking has become the thing to do during the isolation of Covid.  In April there was one or two sourdough facebook groups....I don't know how many there are now, but it's certainly more than 2!  The people (yep, men too) in those groups are always working to improve the bread ~ it could be the scoring....

Or the different flavor combinations.....

Sage and gruyere
carrot
 
Yep, and even chocolate.  My goal is this:  

Don't get me wrong, there isn't anything wrong will my previous loaves.  But no matter what I do, I haven't been able to achieve this open crumb.  Oh, there's an open area here and there, but it's not been as consistent as the loaf above.  But, wow, is it time consuming.  I started this morning at about 8:30.  It's now 12:30, and I think I'm about halfway through the process.  IF I achieve this type of crumb, I'll only do it on my 4 day weekends, because that first day of making the bread will require me to be home and not too involved in some other project.  

Unfortunately our governor has locked us down for two weeks.  So, bars and restaurants will be closed through the end of November.  Grocery stores, department stores, churches are reduced (again) to 25% of capacity.   I may have expected this to happen, when the outside is cooler and in our case windy, but I wish it wasn't happening.  I won't know how it will affect my hours at work until I go into the office on Tuesday.  It may not affect us at all ~ our staff has been texting all these different opinions, but generally we follow the NM Dental Association guidelines.  

I certainly hope that all of you are wearing your masks, staying home, and washing your hands.  I don't have so many friends that I can afford to lose any of them.  And hey!  I hope to be here too.....

Love, 365


6 comments:

  1. I've always loved bread, of any kind, I got that honestly from my grandma who owned a bakery for thirty odd years. Sourdough bread has become one of my favorite breads, I could eat it until it runs out of my ears :)
    Hope you continue to stay safe, it's all so very worrying, but following rules is best.
    Hugs,
    ~Jo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, following the rules, which seems so very difficult for some.
      And bread, it is the staff of life, I have always loved it enough to start making my own when I was in my early 20s. I can't tell you how thankful I am that I don't have Celiac's disease, and how sorry I am for those that do.

      Delete
  2. My sourdough the other day was tangy and dense. Traditional Greeks love this bread but I'd much rather have your airy holey crumb. Hope your loaf turns out the way you want it.
    Sage and gruyere, yummm!
    Our churches are closed , only the priest, chanter and one other allowed inside. I hope they open up for xmas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, it didn't turn out quit as I hoped. It was edible though! Thankfully our church is still open, and I am hoping we can continue to do so through the holiday! I hope yours opens for xmas too....
      If you want tips and stuff on sourdough, join the perfect sourdough facebook page. Lots of great help there, and most everyone is super nice!

      Delete
  3. Good luck with the sourdough. I look forward to seeing your progress. We got moved back to stage 2 but there is no mask mandate or capacity limitations. Sounds like your governor has a spine. Ours is more interested in letting the local officials decide.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, now they are comparing her to the Grinch who stole Christmas, lol. Lots of things have closed. Our church is still open, just with a lower capacity. Guess that it depends on how you view the precautions ~ is it common sense or an affront to your freedoms?

      Delete

Shall we go crazy? Yes, I think we shall.......

 There are a lot of things on my mind lately.  One of them is my upcoming colonoscopy.  Which I don't want.   I had one scheduled last f...