I'm Dave and have been an avid home baker since about 1971 when I first baked Ttbetan barley bread from The Tassajara Bread Book. For the next 40 years most of my baking was done using natural leavening. Since I retired about 10 years ago I've started using commercial yeast to suit my more active schedule. Although I've made many kinds of bread, I've never made much in the way of pastry, even though I have notebooks full of recipes I've saved. I did teach myself how to make fondants and candies from "The Wilton Book of Candy Making" (pre internet days) when my wife and I owned a chocolate shop and made all our own candies.
I look forward to seeing what breads other members are making and also to seeing what pastries are being made.
Dave
