Ann_T

I really, really wanted the Challenger Bread Pan. Gets amazing reviews and I like that it will bake different size/shape loaves. But being realistic both because of price and the fact that it weighs 22 pounds, I've ruled it out. If I lived in the US I might still be tempted, but with the cost of shipping and duty/taxes when converted to CAD the price would be over $700. So now I am looking at the Netherton Spun Iron Baking Cloche. This also gets great reviews and I can buy it directly from the company in the UK for less than buying it in Canada or the US. So before I bite the bullet, I'm wondering does anyone have any other suggestions to consider? I already have Dutch Ovens and the burn marks associated with them. And lately I have been using the lid of a roasting pan or a large stainless round bowl.

I can even beginning to tell you just how much Moe loved this. Apparently I can make it as often as I would like. I'm going to share your instructions on the blog. The only thing I changed was to use chicken broth with the wine and deglazed with chicken broth.

Thanks to @JoNorvelleWalker, I have a very happy husband this morning. I had intended to make the Chicken Cacciatore for dinner last night but that didn't happen so I made it for Moe this morning. Based on the happy moans I was hearing as he ate, this was definitely a big hit.

@Kim Shook, no real recipe for French Toast. I beat up 4 eggs with a little cream or milk and a pinch of salt. Soak the bread in the egg mixture until much of it is absorbed. I use a fork to press down on the bread to make sure it is full of the egg mixture. I want the bread fully saturated with egg. I hate when French toast is only coated on the outside and not all the way through. And then I slowly fry in on low heat in butter until golden brown and cooked all the way through. Moe always has his with real maple syrup. But I like mine topped with just butter and salt and pepper. There was a piece of leftover beef tenderloin from Wednesday night so for breakfast yesterday I sliced it thin and Moe had it on an open face sandwich on fresh baked sourdough baguette.

Thanks @CookBot Today's bake was a sourdough batch that I made last Friday morning and took out of the fridge last night around 8:00. So in the fridge for around 130 hours. Shaped and baked early this morning. Four long skinny baguettes. Matt likes this size for sandwiches. Crumb.

@Shelby, I'm not sure which I want more, your chicken pie or that caramel sauce. I'd be happy to the sauce by the spoonful. Tonight's dinner - Had planned to grill a small beef tenderloin roast on the grill, but instead cut it into medallions and made Green Peppercorn Steak. With roasted potatoes, mushrooms and steamed green beans.

@blue_dolphin, you really do come up with the most interesting combinations. I would love your toast and beans, but minus the anchovies. Although I bet Moe would like it the way you served it. Baked baguettes this morning and early enough to slice and toast for breakfast. Pulled the chili out of the freezer.

It isn't too late. I actually have both mine out, and both are off the kitchen. My first has an issue with the steam function not always working. But everything else works fine. So I use that one for everything but bread. And it makes the best toast. I brought out my back up recently and it is only used for baking bread. Today's bake was from a 700g batch of dough that was made and went into the fridge last Friday. Taken out last night and baked this morning. Four baguettes. One of which was coated with poppy seed, as requested by Matt. I just had barely enough for the one baguette. Baked early enough that it had cooled in time to slice for breakfast. Really happy with the crumb I'm getting at 63% hydration.

@JoNorvelleWalker Thank you. Will be on the menu this week. I forgot that I had Oxtails in the freezer. Pulled them out yesterday morning and cooked them last night. Served my favourite way, over polenta. Polenta is cooked in chicken broth seasoned with minced garlic, salt and pepper and finished with butter and fresh grated Parmesan.

Would you please, please share your recipe? This is what I want cacciatore to look like but so often versions are tomato based.

Love Halibut Fish and Chips. Light beer batter. Sliced the potatoes with the Breville FP french fry blade. Twice fried.

I love them butterflied and grilled. Grilled Quail (thibeaultstable.com)

All the baguettes are started in the CSO and after 10 minutes I transfer to the stone in the oven. This way I can bake 6 or 8 baguettes in half the time. And each gets the benefit of the steam. So I tend to bake baguettes that are between 12 to 14 inches long so they fit on the stone I had cut for the steam oven. For the big rounds, I bake them on the stone in the conventional oven, but rather than putting them in to a Dutch Oven, I cover with deep roasting pan lid or a big stainless mixing bowl that is preheated in the oven.

Sometime this past year I reduced the hydration to 63% for all my loaves. In the past I use to go between 70 to 78%. I really like the results at 63%. Especially since I use the same dough for pizza crust. I use to think that I needed the higher hydration for pizza, but that is not the case. I think it probably helps that most doughs are given long cold fermentations from 24 to 120 hours in the fridge. But last night's dough was just an overnight dough left out on the counter.

@CookBot, Not baked in a pan. And I just shape and leave on the board to proof, covered with a tea towel. I baked on a stone and that loaf was covered with a large deep roasting pan. Today's bake is a sourdough loaf I mixed up last night using 2/3rds my regular bread flour with 1/3rd stone ground whole Red Fife flour. I left it out on the counter over night and shaped and baked this morning. Also left on the board and baked on the stone. This time though I used a large stainless steel mixing bowl as the cover. Removed after 25 minutes. and baked another 15 minutes. I was running out of the organic rye flour that I use to feed my starter so on the way to work I drove down through Cow Bay to True Grain Bakery to pick up more of their stone ground rye. I also decided to buy two of their other flours - Whole Red Fife and Whole Spelt flour. "Red Fife is a heritage wheat variety. This means the grain is pure and predates the complex hybridization methods imposed by humans over the last century. The result is an organic grain that delivers a more robust nutty flavour than conventional wheat. Our Red Fife is organic and proudly grown in BC. We slowly stone grind our Red Fife at low temperature to maximize flavour and preserve nutrients. “Whole” simply means we grind the entire kernel and nothing is added or removed. Substitute Red Fife Whole Wheat flour for whole wheat flour in your recipes. Thank you for supporting organic BC Farmers and Millers."

Out of the oven early this morning. Dough in the fridge since Friday morning. Baked this 2 pounder for my little 4year old friend Claude. He gets so excited when he gets a baguette. Can't wait to see how he reacts to a big round loaf.

Tonight's dinner. I almost always grocery shop on my way to work. In fact I grocery shop almost every day. Something I have always done. Wasn't sure what I wanted for dinner but decided while shopping that we would have a roast chicken dinner tonight. Instead of buying a whole chicken I bought chicken breasts. Had intended to roast two, but they were so big I went with just one. Got the chicken seasoned and into the oven at about 5:40 and while it roasted put the potatoes on to cook, and snapped the stem end off fresh green beans. Then since it was going to be a little while, I made us both Bloody Caesars. Between the celery, dill pickles, spicy dill green beans and the olives, Moe had a salad. While the chicken rested, I mashed the potatoes and made the gravy. The one chicken breast turned out to be more than enough for two. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy and steamed green beans.

I made Moe a hot beef sandwich for breakfast this morning using leftover NY Strip. Sliced on the Breville FP. I cheated and used beef broth with a little Knorr Swiss Au Jus to make the gravy. Simmered with a garlic clove and a sprig of rosemary.

I agree with @Anna N. Great crumb. @PatrickT Interesting video. He does the opposite of what I do. I do a cold fermentation and a room temperature Proof. He does a short fermentation, but a longer cold proof. Interesting that both work. I've always said that it is difficult to screw up bread. It seems to be very forgiving. Here is a look at the crumb from today's loaf. This one came out of the fridge after 108 hours and was left on the counter overnight for about 8 hours before shaping and proofing.

Moe's breakfast. He requested French Toast.

@JoNorvelleWalker, it is a beautiful loaf. And the crumb is perfect for a tuna sandwich. Just out of the oven. 2.5 lb loaf. Dough had been in the fridge since Saturday morning. Taken out last night just before 8:00 and shaped and baked early this morning. Waiting for it to cool. Moe requested French Toast for breakfast. I wasn't sure what I wanted to take for lunch today, but now I have a craving for a tuna sandwich.

I wish I could taste this. Makes my mouth water. Crushed peppercorns with the mortar & pestle. Coated a 1lb 13oz NY Strip steak in black pepper and grilled it for dinner. Served with roasted potatoes, zucchini and sauteed mushrooms. Almost half left. Which is good because Moe loves leftover steak. I'll probably slice it thin and make him a sandwich for breakfast.

@blue_dolphin, great "toast" on your toast. Made Moe a cheese omelette for breakfast this morning. And toast. The real reason I bake.

@Marlene, scary having a tree come down on your roof. You were lucky that it didn't damage your house. That leg of lamb looks amazing. Perfectly cooked. @gulfporter , now that is one beautiful pizza. Burgers and homemade potato chips for dinner last night. I added about 4 oz of ground pork to 1 1/4 lbs of sirloin. Made four burgers. Two went into the freezer destined for a quick work night dinner and the other two were grilled for dinner. Seasoned with just salt and pepper. The pork adds just enough fat to the sirloin. This has become my favourite mix for burgers. Used the slicing blade on the new Breville 16 cup FP. Took less than 5 seconds to slice 4 russet potatoes.

@blue_dolphin, I think I have mentioned before that I'm not a breakfast person. But honestly, your breakfasts make me wish I was. So colourful and intersting. I love your idea of the cauliflower and potato pancakes. I would even serve those as a side for dinner. Moe's breakfast.