Nathan Myhrvold - at George Brown College Next Week

[Kerry Beal]

Nathan Myhrvold( @nathanm) is coming to George Brown College in Toronto next week to talk about Modernist Bread. Here's a link to the event.

 

I've signed myself up - just hoping I can get rid of all or part of my ER shift so I'm not driving into Toronto in heavy traffic. 

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

Nathan Myhrvold( @nathanm) is coming to George Brown College in Toronto next week to talk about Modernist Bread. Here's a link to the event.

 

I've signed myself up - just hoping I can get rid of all or part of my ER shift so I'm not driving into Toronto in heavy traffic. 

 

 

 

Link just links back to your post?

 

[Anna N]

Here you go.

 

 Hope Kerry doesn't mind!

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, Anna N said:

Here you go.

 

 Hope Kerry doesn't mind!

Thanks for fixing that - work gets in the way.

[rotuts]

@Kerry Beal

 

nice !

 

hoping for a report  .........

[TicTac]

I try to avoid driving into downtown Toronto in any traffic (it is all heavy and painful!)

 

Just purchased a Pizza steel, though for now I will stick to Pizzas and for breads, BlackBird!

[Kerry Beal]

Just now, TicTac said:

I try to avoid driving into downtown Toronto in any traffic (it is all heavy and painful!)

 

Just purchased a Pizza steel, though for now I will stick to Pizzas and for breads, BlackBird!

So does that mean you aren't coming?

[TicTac]

Sadly not. 

 

My eldest just started JK last week and there is Curriculum night which I will be preoccupied with.  

 

Though if I were going, I would most likely try for an early reservation at Scaramouche and avoid the rush!

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Well - after a 3 1/2 hour drive to get to this event last night - I've got to say it was thoroughly enjoyable evening.

 

It was held in one of the auditoriums at George Brown - in the hour or so before the event started Nathan chatted with various bloggers and other press. They all came out rather star struck and fearful that just because he's very intelligent that he would find them simple. The audience was heavily weighted towards geeks and those who love baking bread. 

 

It started with a short lecture - followed by a Q&A. One of the first questions asked was "what bread knife is best?" - electric carving knife was the answer. They evaluated thousands of dollars worth of bread knives - and decided for straight cuts, dealing with various crusts... electric wins!

 

The plexiglass case for Modernist Cuisine wasn't as tough as they hoped - so this time around the case is stainless. Apparently they have made some stainless cases with the logo for Modernist Cuisine on them for folks with the plexiglass ones that want to swap them out.

 

55º F was found to be ideal for proofing a lot of doughs - wine coolers are the perfect proofing boxes.

 

They realized there are light fluffy loaves of 100% rye being baked in some eastern european countries - rye flour acts differently than wheat flour - and the fineness of the grind is what makes the difference between a heavy pumpernickel and a light fluffy loaf. Wheat flour doesn't yield the same result.

 

A couple of drops of a papain containing fruit juice, such as kiwi or pineapple, will soften a challah dough and make it amazingly workable.

 

A tiny bit of fat (0.5 - 2%) added to a lean dough will improve the rise.

 

An almost infinite amount of lead shot can be added to bread or placed on top of a loaf and it will still rise!

 

A tasty gluten free bagel CAN be made.

 

After the event we moved out to the lobby where they had set up breads they had baked for the event. 

 

 

 

 

[Anna N]

 Did they bake the breads at George Brown? 

Edited September 30, 2017 by Anna N (log)

[Kerry Beal]

15 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 Did they bake the breads at George Brown? 

 

They did indeed - I sat next to one of the women who was involved in the baking. She is a retired public health nutritionist who is enjoying volunteering in her retirement. She spends a lot of time with the head bread chef at George Brown. I'm working on getting her to help out at the Luxury Chocolate Show - I think she'll be a great help to the folks doing demos in my absence.

[Anna N]

8 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

They did indeed - I sat next to one of the women who was involved in the baking. She is a retired public health nutritionist who is enjoying volunteering in her retirement. She spends a lot of time with the head bread chef at George Brown. I'm working on getting her to help out at the Luxury Chocolate Show - I think she'll be a great help to the folks doing demos in my absence.

 Nice connection.   And fabulous report back from the talk.  I wish I could've attended.  Can hardly wait now for the book(s) to come out. 

[Kerry Beal]

https://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2017/10/fifteen-minutes-with-nathan-myhrvold/

 

Just wanted to add Mardi Michels interview here too - she was invited to interview @nathanm by the college - she came out looking flushed and totally 'fan girl' as she mentions in her blog. 

[Anna N]

 I am going to work myself slowly down into my basement and see if my electric knife is still there or if in a moment of foolishness I got rid of it like 15 years ago.   

[Kerry Beal]

32 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 I am going to work myself slowly down into my basement and see if my electric knife is still there or if in a moment of foolishness I got rid of it like 15 years ago.   

There will be a run on them at Value Village!

[chromedome]

The one I had combined avocado and harvest gold, so it would fit with the decor of *any* kitchen.

[Anna N]

2 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

There will be a run on them at Value Village!

 Apparently that is where mine went.  

[Kerry Beal]

Just now, chromedome said:

The one I had combined avocado and harvest gold, so it would fit with the decor of *any* kitchen.

What about the orange?

[chromedome]

Okay, almost any kitchen.

 

And I forgot to mention the faux-woodgrain strip down the handle, to match that classy 70s faux-wood panelling in the nearby dining area. 

[rotuts]

a long time ago , electric knives were reviewed on 

 

you guessed it 

 

America's test kitchen

 

they found a place in the kitchen as they cut different textured items ( two textures in a single item ) better than a sharp kitchen knife 

 

as I recall the black and decker won as it was off set :

 

 

Black & Decker EK 700 Slice Right Electric Knife

 

amazon isn't selling them , only third parties

 

I got a new one for 20 $ delivered

 

I wonder if they are even being made.

 

a heads up of sorts for MB fans to be.

[cakewalk]

More on electric knives: I remember a discussion on a now defunct forum about electric knives being the best thing for slicing angel food cakes without compressing them at all, apparently much better than those "pitchforks" that are sold for this particular purpose. I foresee a big run on electric knives now - they're much more affordable than the book!

[blue_dolphin]

I brought this back from my last trip to the family homestead, intending to use it to cut foam for an upholstery project.  Perhaps I should reconsider. 

 

5 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

What about the orange?

Note that I've got the orange accent on mine 

 

Edited October 3, 2017 by blue_dolphin (log)

[rotuts]

Nice

 

I canceled my Amazon Partners   20 buck deal :

 

BLACK+DECKER Electric Knife, EK500W  

 

$13...47

 

Walnart is on the way to Tj's

 

and they aver some very nice people working there

 

so it PC for me.

[Anna N]

 

 Spotted in a thrift store today. We left it there.  Holding out for an offset one. There is no electric knife in my basement. Must’ve given it away. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I can live without an electric knife.*  Yes, I was given one in the 1970's.

 

 

Edit:  I'd rather have an electron microscope.

 

Edited October 4, 2017 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)