Comments on: The Trouble with Experiments http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/ Notes from my kitchen, in which I bake bread and raise a few other matters Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:12:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: drfugawe http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8639 drfugawe Mon, 04 May 2009 15:32:54 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8639 Ooo Susan - you are one smart lady. Nice observations. Don't you think too that our "experiments" are taking place on two levels, the conscious efforts we intend to control, and then the unconscious, where our skills are evolving and changing, even without us being aware? Why am I enamored with the science of baking - I thought I hated science! Ooo Susan – you are one smart lady. Nice observations.

Don’t you think too that our “experiments” are taking place on two levels, the conscious efforts we intend to control, and then the unconscious, where our skills are evolving and changing, even without us being aware?

Why am I enamored with the science of baking – I thought I hated science!

]]> By: Stephen http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8622 Stephen Fri, 01 May 2009 16:24:24 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8622 Both loaves look quite lovely, and i've never even considered that someting as seemingly simple as variation in shaping could have such a dramatic effect! Scoring is one thing I really need to work on, it seems as though my loaves deflate too much whenever I slash before tossing in the oven. Both loaves look quite lovely, and i’ve never even considered that someting as seemingly simple as variation in shaping could have such a dramatic effect! Scoring is one thing I really need to work on, it seems as though my loaves deflate too much whenever I slash before tossing in the oven.

]]> By: Laura http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8599 Laura Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:01:00 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8599 Susan, I have baked so much bread in the year I worked in a restaurant in the Presidio. We had bread ovens with steam injectors, same dough, same weight, baked at the same time. Most of the time it came down to the shaping. If the loaf is just a little thicker on one side, when it rises and even more when it springs in the oven you can have a huge difference in appearances, with very asymmetrical results. We were making hamburger buns with brioche bread, and some people couldn't roll tight enough so they looked like ufos when they came out of the oven. I love your site, it is so inspirational! Keep on baking! Susan,
I have baked so much bread in the year I worked in a restaurant in the Presidio. We had bread ovens with steam injectors, same dough, same weight, baked at the same time. Most of the time it came down to the shaping. If the loaf is just a little thicker on one side, when it rises and even more when it springs in the oven you can have a huge difference in appearances, with very asymmetrical results. We were making hamburger buns with brioche bread, and some people couldn’t roll tight enough so they looked like ufos when they came out of the oven.

I love your site, it is so inspirational!

Keep on baking!

]]> By: Allison http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8596 Allison Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:06:05 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8596 Thank you for the article! I always keep in mind that bread baking is not merely science, but also art. The uniqueness of each loaf is a result not only of temperature, moisture, time and other qualities, but in the quirky uniqueness of each artisan baker's hands. If I knew every single loaf I baked would turn out exactly the same, the excitement of cutting into a new loaf, or in receiving a descriptive report from a recipient of my bread, would disappear - as would my enjoyment of baking. Thank you for the article! I always keep in mind that bread baking is not merely science, but also art. The uniqueness of each loaf is a result not only of temperature, moisture, time and other qualities, but in the quirky uniqueness of each artisan baker’s hands. If I knew every single loaf I baked would turn out exactly the same, the excitement of cutting into a new loaf, or in receiving a descriptive report from a recipient of my bread, would disappear – as would my enjoyment of baking.

]]> By: Elizabeth http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8595 Elizabeth Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:59:05 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8595 Now wait just a minute here, did I read this correctly? Are you actually suggesting that we shouldn't jump to conclusions? But, but... without daily jumping, how will we ever get any exercise? -Elizabeth P.S. I love the look of both loaves! But I'm with you; the one on the left is really beautiful. Do you think it might have been slightly different oven temperature (within the oven) that caused the difference in the grignes? Now wait just a minute here, did I read this correctly? Are you actually suggesting that we shouldn’t jump to conclusions? But, but… without daily jumping, how will we ever get any exercise?

-Elizabeth

P.S. I love the look of both loaves! But I’m with you; the one on the left is really beautiful. Do you think it might have been slightly different oven temperature (within the oven) that caused the difference in the grignes?

]]> By: bee http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8585 bee Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:34:59 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8585 all that you said, plus TALK to the loaf. cajole it to do as you wish. yeast has ears :D all that you said, plus TALK to the loaf. cajole it to do as you wish. yeast has ears :D

]]> By: katy http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8584 katy Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:58:37 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8584 So true! Another good reason to always keep an eye on whatever you're baking -- things that finish in 20 minutes yesterday may only need 15 min today! So true! Another good reason to always keep an eye on whatever you’re baking — things that finish in 20 minutes yesterday may only need 15 min today!

]]> By: BreadintheBone http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8583 BreadintheBone Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:56:05 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8583 Oh gosh yes! Happens to me all the time, and makes it very difficult to experiment. Besides, I get bored easily, so I keep introducing new variables 8-). My guess is that one loaf rose just slightly more than the other, or that one was ever so slightly more slack. Which one? Couldn't tell . . . Oh gosh yes! Happens to me all the time, and makes it very difficult to experiment. Besides, I get bored easily, so I keep introducing new variables 8-).
My guess is that one loaf rose just slightly more than the other, or that one was ever so slightly more slack. Which one? Couldn’t tell . . .

]]> By: Matt http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8582 Matt Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:05:42 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8582 That is interesting...I just did an experiment with 2 flours and was suprised that one looked so much nicer(grigne) and it was the cheaper of the 2. Upon further discovery tasting texture etc the winner was actually the ugly loaf.Your loaves prove to me that the ugly duckling could certainly be a swan. That is interesting…I just did an experiment with 2 flours and was suprised that one looked so much nicer(grigne) and it was the cheaper of the 2. Upon further discovery tasting texture etc the winner was actually the ugly loaf.Your loaves prove to me that the ugly duckling could certainly be a swan.

]]> By: Flo Makanai http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/04/26/the-trouble-with-experiments/comment-page-1/#comment-8581 Flo Makanai Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:43:33 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/?p=3409#comment-8581 I agree with you! And if only everyone could keep in mind your last sentence, life would be a better place, non?! I agree with you! And if only everyone could keep in mind your last sentence, life would be a better place, non?!

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