Wild Yeast

Do I really need to tell you I was ecstatic when Mary (The Sour Dough) and Sara (I Like to Cook) chose Julia Child’s Pain Français (French bread) as this month’s Daring Bakers challenge?

Probably not. But you may be surprised (or not) to know that, as iconic as both French bread and Julia Child are, and as much as I love to bake bread, I have never attempted this particular rendition of French bread before.

And I have to say that reading through the recipe gave me some pause. It wasn’t the 17+ pages of instructions, which include some very helpful notes from Mary and Sara. No, it was that this recipe has a few differences from French baguettes I’ve done before.

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No, you’re not seeing double, nothing wrong with your browser or reader. I am indeed posting this photo of Crisp Sesame-Semolina Flatbreads for the second time in just a few days.

I’m re-posting the photo in order to submit it to CLICK, the monthly food photography event hosted by Jai and Bee of jugalbandi. This month’s theme is “Flour,” so I figured if I ever wanted to participate, now would probably be the time.

I like the photo because I was trying to capture how thin and crisp the breads were, and I think it succeeded pretty well with that. I don’t know if it meets any objective criteria for a good photo, but I was happy with it.

It was taken with my new Sony Alpha-100 DSLR, which I’m still getting to know.

I am pleased and honored to say that Wild Yeast has been rated “E for Excellent!” And adding to my delight at my first award is the fact that it is bestowed by one of my favorite bloggers, Kelly of Sass & Veracity. If you don’t know Kelly’s blog, go there at once. You will find a fearless and accomplished cook who turns out not only one spectacular dish after another, but writes about it with laugh-out-loud wit and humor. Thanks, Kelly!

The other piece of good news is that (I think) I am now authorized to pass this award on to five others whose blogs inspire/awe/entertain/delight me. Of course the bad news is that (I think) I have to restrict my choices to five, because there are so many that I could name. But here are my heartfelt five for today; I thank all of you for your bright presence in blogdom:

Tanna of My Kitchen In Half Cups, for being a woman after my own yeasted heart whose warmth and wisdom shine through on every post.

Manuela of Baking History, for not only giving us some unique recipes but also inspiring us to learn more about the past in which they were originally brought to life or light.

Katy of sugarlaws, for dishes that are as drool-worthy as any out there, presented in such a straightforward way that she makes me believe even I could pull them off.

Jen of use real butter, for being a master both in the kitchen and behind the camera.

Zorra of 1x umrühren bitte aka Kochtopf, for BreadBakingDay and other events that welcome all and help make the world a smaller, friendlier place.

It will be a long time before I buy crackers again.

Flash back to two hours ago: I need to decide on a flatbread for this month’s BreadBakingDay. Our host Petra (Chili und Ciabatta) has mandated no pizza. Pitas are out, because I just posted about those last month. I’d like to try Ehtiopian injera, but the 3-day fermentation doesn’t fit into my schedule just now.

I’m really in the mood for something thin, crisp, flavorful but not overly complex. And quick. I thumb through the newest addition to my baking library, Savory Baking from the Mediterranean, by Anissa Helou. The Sardinian Crackers (Pane Carasau) look interesting, and the wheels start turning.

What if I add sesame seeds to the dough, as Helou suggests as a variation? How about making them black ones, to add a bit of visual punch? I wonder if I could use a pasta roller to make them super-thin, and wouldn’t baking them on a stone make them super-crisp? And I’m thinking just a bit of olive oil and coarse salt would work well for topping.

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For the record, let me say that any home-baked bread, and indeed all home-cooked food, has aphrodisiac potential. Any lover who does not recognize a lovingly-prepared dish as an eminently romantic gesture is clearly the wrong sort of lover.

That said, there are of course a few foods reputed to possess extraordinary amatory powers. In honor of this month of love, here’s a bread whose three starring ingredients are officially on Aphrodite’s List:

• Red wine stimulates the senses and relaxes the body and mind.
• Pine nuts are rich in zinc, an essential mineral for male potency. (Does anyone get “Pi|\|e |\|uts” spam?)
• Figs‘ aphrodisiacal power is said to lie in their resemblance to the female anatomy.

The recipe, adapted from from Dan Lepard’s The Handmade Loaf (a must-have for any serious bread-baker’s library), is my contribution to Mele Cotte’s Kitchen of Love.

This flat, dense loaf has an incredibly rich, sweet flavor that is amazing with tangy cheeses. Guaranteed to leave your beloved begging for more.

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I made these doughnuts (my first ever; don’t know what I was waiting for) for Tartelette and Peabody’s Time to Make the Doughnuts event. They allowed baked doughnuts, although they warned against making a habit of it. Still reeling from holiday fat overload, I couldn’t bring myself to deep fry anything right now. Next time.

These were inspired by Heidi’s Baked Dougnuts at 101 Cookbooks, and my recipe loosely based on hers.

I experimented with different sugar/spice mixtures for the coating, in which the doughnuts are dipped after baking. My favorites were 50/50 brown sugar and granulated sugar with cinnamon (pictured above), and granulated sugar with cardamom. Another interesting one was granulated sugar with chipotle powder. The possibilities are limitless.

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Eva (Sweet Sins) has posted the roundup for BBD #06: Shape. Check out both Part 1 and Part 2 and be blown away by the variety of shapes everyone has contributed this month. I’m happy to have so many new ideas for the “must try” list.

And be sure to check Chili und Ciabatta tomorrow when Petra will announce the theme for the next BBD.