Wild Yeast

On the day of my very first marathon team training back in June, I sprained my ankle. Not at the training, but later that afternoon, in my driveway. This is what I get for not wearing entirely sensible shoes.

Luckily, it was not a severe sprain, and I was able to resume training in a couple of days. That evening, however, walking was difficult. We had a plan to meet friends for dinner in Oakland, and when we got there my husband needed to go in search of an ATM. Not wanting to do all that walking, I parked myself in Diesel Bookstore on College Avenue. More specifically, I parked myself in the cookbook section and limited my browsing to the single shelf I could reach without moving around.

But don’t think I’m saying I wouldn’t have chosen Éric Kayser’s New French Recipes as my book (it is not possible for me to exit a bookstore without a book) if my mobility had been greater and my options less restricted. This is a lushly-photographed volume of beautiful, fresh, mostly accessible dishes.  Kayser is a renowned French baker and, while not all of the recipes are for baked things, they largely feature whole grains, seeds, dried fruits, nuts, and breads in prominent roles.

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I like this blog to be informative. Looking at the search terms that land people here helps me know what information they are looking for. Sometimes, though, I think they’re let down because I haven’t really addressed the topic in the way they probably expected.

I don’t like to disappoint, so allow me to address a few of those search terms now:

firmament baking stone — It’s not hot enough in the firmament for a baking stone. Try going in the other direction.

potatoe bread — I only do potato bread, but Dan Quayle may be able to help you out.

does putting bread yeast in my septic do any good? — I’m not sure, but I put my yeast in the refrigerator, and that works fine.

how to make a miche slip cover — I don’t slipcover my miches unless I’m having company, and then I usually just get one of those cheapo ones from Target and add a few beads for that personalized touch.

my eclair cannot pop up — I’m always getting spam about remedies for this. I’d be happy to forward some of it on if you send me your email address.