Ann_T

Made two batches of dough on Monday which went into the fridge for a cold fermentation. Matt took one out early this morning for pizza. There was enough for two pizzas. Dough was ready to use by 9:00 AM so I made Moe and I an Italian sausage, mushroom and olive pizza for breakfast.

Mine resides in the fridge. Once it has been fed and given time to double it goes immediately back into the fridge. And doesn't get taken out of the fridge until I'm ready to feed it again. Since I'm baking bread often enough, the starter is getting fed on a more regular basis. Usually between one and two times a week and with the discard being used in one or two batches of bread. But I have many times let the starter go a month to three without feeding and it bounces back with one or two feeds. What I like about this starter, besides that fact that is a pure starter with just rye and water to start is that there is very little waste. I only need 50 to 80g of discard to make a batch of dough. I've seen some starters that are left out on the counter and get fed daily with lots of discard getting thrown out. Today's bake. Started with a Levain. Left out on the counter last night and baked this morning. Boule and 7 mini baguette buns.

@Maison Rustique, do you leave your starter out on the counter or do you keep it in the fridge until you are ready to feed it again?

The formula from Amy's Bread recipe for feeding and maintaining is to weigh out 6 ounces of the starter and feed with equal parts flour and water (3 ounces of flour and 3 ounces of bottled water). After my rye starter was established I spun off a white starter and I maintain both. After they at least double they go into the fridge until I feed them again. The discard can be used to make a preferment like a biga or levain, or more often than not, I just toss 50 to 80g of discard into a batch of dough. Last night's dough was started with a Levain using 2 ounces of white starter, 2 ounces of warm water, 5 ounces of bread flour and 1/4 tsp of salt. Kneaded until smooth and covered and left to rise until doubled. This is the only starter I've ever used. In the past I've neglected it for months at a time and with just two feedings it bounces right back. The two I am using now, I started new February 3rd, 2019 so it is now four years old. Temperature in the house is between 20 to 22°C. Amy's Bread Sourdough Starter

Thanks Patrick. Happy Valentine's Day to you as well. I've only ever used Amy Scherber's (Amy's Bread) instructions for making my sourdough starter but I have never actually used any of her recipes. So today I decided that I would make her Country Sourdough. It starts with a Levain so I fed my White Starter again and used 2 oz of the discard to make the Levain. The Levain is suppose to double in size in 8 hours. So I figured I wouldn't get around to making the dough until tomorrow morning. But both the starter and the Levain had doubled in 5 hours so I am making the dough tonight and will leave it out on the counter for an early morning bake.

@Pete Fred, your tarts look amazing. Love cream fillings. @Kerry Beal, a powdered donut cake. Definitely have to make this. I had a craving for Date and Nut loaf. And I like it spread with a little cream cheese. Which I don't have, but will pick up tomorrow.

@Anna N, that looks and sounds very interesting. @blue_dolphin posted another dish from that cookbook on the Super Bowl thread that I'm very tempted to make. Baked bread this morning and sliced for breakfast. Made Moe baked side pork (pork belly) with easy over eggs.

@PatrickT, you make the most interesting beautiful loaves. I need to branch out. But to be honest, I think I'm boring because I mostly like the plain baguettes. I only make sourdough because I love being able to use my own starter plus both Moe and Matt like sourdough. Today's bake. Just out of the oven. Started yesterday with 800g of bread flour and 200g of organic Spelt, 80g of discard, 2g of yeast, 30g of salt and 630g of water. Leftout until 4:30 AM this morning, shaped and baked. One baked under the spun iron cloche and the other in a Dutch Oven.

I worked today but got home in time to watch the second half with Moe. We had wings and a salad that we shared.

I pulled homemade chili out of the freezer for Moe's breakfast. Serve with toasted baguette. That was the last one in the freezer so I guess I will be making more this week.

Been a month since I made us Halibut Fish and Chips. So...........

Made Moe an egg salad sandwich on homemade Oatmeal bread for breakfast.

I made Moe a grilled spot prawn cocktail and a fresh salsa with avocado for dinner tonight.

I would devour that.

@gfweb, I would love your breakfast, minus the ketchup. In fact, now I have a craving for sausage patties. Moe was craving something sweet this morning so I made him something I hadn't made in a while. Bread Pudding Muffins with caramelized apples added to the mix. And just to make them a little more decadent served warm with my homemade caramel sauce.

Not sure, but this batch did have a big oven spring. And the second one even slightly more. Probably because it had proofed 20 minutes longer than the first. I started both under the Netherton Spun Iron Cloche so one had to wait the extra 20 minutes. Sliced one of the baguettes. Happy with the crumb and the shine.

Think of 63% in 1000 g batch which would be 630g of water or half that for a 500g batch would be 315g. I shared the hydration chart that I made and @Smithy share it here: Edited to add: @lindag, sorry, I missed your second question. I did it all by hand using the autolyze stretch and fold method. https://thibeaultstable.com/2022/12/17/my-favourite-bread-method/

I think baking is an addiction. Started three 500g batches of dough last night. Each with 2g of yeast. 15g of salt and 63% hydration. Last stretch and folds finished at 8:00 PM and left on the counter until this morning at 4:00 AM. This is my favourite method. I've tried the proofing overnight in the fridge but don't care for it as much as I do the overnight fermentation on the counter. Baked two large boules and four baguettes. Boules came out of the oven first. Most of this batch is being gifted. The two boules are going to work with me for Josh and Kristin. And one of the baguettes Matt is taking to a friend. And I'm sure at least one of the baguettes will get eaten today. That just leaves two for the freezer.

Moe's breakfast this morning was influenced by @PatrickT. He mentioned yesterday making a grilled cheese sandwich on his Rye Porridge Sourdough bread. I can probably count on two hands, with fingers leftover, the number of times I've made Moe a grilled cheese sandwich in almost 50 years. I've never cared for them so I never think to make them. If I'm not home he will occasionally make himself just a cheese and onion sandwich. So this morning I decided to make him a grilled cheese sandwich on yesterday's Oatmeal bread. I layered thin sliced red onion between layers of a nice cheddar.

I've never seen baby blooming onions. So cute!!! Promised Moe escargot for dinner tonight with grilled slices of baguette for dipping.

I had forgot all about this recipe until you made a dough with "porridge". This one isn't a rustic loaf. More like a soft sandwich loaf. I think the last time I made it was back in 2006 three years before the blog. Just added it now. You can find it here: https://thibeaultstable.com/2023/02/07/oatmeal-bread/ EDITED: Sliced this morning. Moe wanted the crust buttered for an early morning snack. Texture is much like the homestyle white bread I make, but with a really nice flavour from the addition of the oatmeal. Will make a nice sandwich bread.

I spent all day baking. And I still have one batch of dough in the fridge destined for pizza tomorrow. 1000g batch netted a Boule and six small baguettes. Made two loaves of James Beard's Oatmeal bread.

Matt would have loved your sandwich. He couldn't wait until the rye cooled so that he could make a grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast. I have three batches of dough on the go this morning. Two are a combination of sourdough discard and a little yeast. One batch is now in the fridge for pizza tomorrow and the other is a 1000g batch and I've left it out and will bake it later day. And your mention of oatmeal reminded me of that James Beard recipe so I started that too. It is not a rustic bread. More like a white bread but with oatmeal added. Using the stretch and fold method and will bake in loaf pans.

@PatrickT, I love the look of your rye porridge bread. Years ago I made one of James Beard's recipes for an Oatmeal bread. The rye was 30%. Baked another loaf this morning. Started it yesterday afternoon and then shaped and proofed in the fridge overnight.

Every time someone posts a roast chicken I get another craving. That looks so good. Love roasted potatoes and onions. Last night's dinner - Red Curry Chicken.