Bread Trials

If only you all could smell my house right now.  This bread baking is not good for the diet.  My stomach is rumbling, and my mouth is watering over the aroma of baking bread.  I was inspired to get off my heiny and bake a loaf after reading the latest bread post by Thomas over at A Growing Tradition on his whole wheat baguettes.  They look a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

I bought the Tassajara Bread Book book quite some time ago, with the intention of baking from scratch more often.  But I just hadn't gotten around to actually trying a recipe.  My yeast in the freezer is at least 2 years old, and my supply of flours is nothing to brag about, but no matter, I started off with a simple white whole wheat loaf.  (http://www.amazon.com/Tassajara-Bread-Book-Edward-Brown/dp/157062089X)

After careful mixing, kneading, rising, punching, rising, more kneading, and lastly, more rising, the dough was plopped into my favorite pan ever (an Emile Henry dutch oven) and put in the oven.

(Before being set in a cozy place to rise.)

(Before going in the oven.)

After 30 minutes I checked on the loaf and much to my surprise it had risen up to the lid as it baked, luckily it didn't stick-  what a waste of a morning that would have been!  So I hindered the full rising of this bread by putting it the dutch oven (who's purpose is to lend a nice, crunchy crust), and the recipe isn't intended to be an artisan loaf in the first place, so I think that was just a poor decision on my part overall.

(See all those 'dots' on the loaf?  They are the impression of underside of the lid.  Whoopsy!)

Ahh, the joyous lessons of bread baking, lets just hope she tastes half as good as she smells!!