I am going to try something different today and type my post first in MS Word 2007, then copy it over to WordPress. Hopefully it will work. I finally tackled the slow drain in our bathroom tub and after figuring out how to unscrew the drain stopper, I found a mountain of hair and gunk. Yuck, it was a wonder it was draining at all! Since I already have the drain plug out, I thought I would run it over to Menard’s to see if I could get a replacement – the chrome on this one is badly damaged – my advice – do not pour Drano onto a chrome bathtub drain plug – remove it first. My drain plug is one that twists to close or open and I simply needed to close it, and then turn counter clockwise with a wrench to unscrew it. If I knew it was that easy, I could have probably escaped pouring Drano down in the first place! Anyhow, I think I’ll run out and look for a new drain plug and also do a bit of grocery shopping, so this will be a shorter post.
Since I seem to be on a cooking roll with my posts, I will continue this week. Recently I came across a reference (I think it was Mary Hunt’s column in Woman’s Day magazine) to making your own bread using a technique from a book called “Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.” I was intrigued and did a little internet searching and found a ton of links about the method. The following link will take you to a page listing some of the best. If you are curious about the product I used to build the page, it is something I am Beta-testing – drop me a note if you’d like to know more.
http://alpha.searchlikeme.com/slmpages/481/?ref=nf
Anyhow, I have tested the method outlined and not only is it pretty easy, but the bread is really good. Loaves disappear quickly and yesterday, I made the bagels out of the book (borrowed the book from the library, but I am likely to purchase it when I have to return the library’s copy) and they were not hard at all and quite tasty. In the interest of full disclosure, however, I am an experienced bread baker and some things did throw me for a loop, but I am not one to panic in the kitchen, and was able to figure things out.
A few comments:
- The dough is very sticky. My first batch, I made up the dough and tried to use immediately after rising. Way too tough to handle. Refrigerate first as instructed.
- Also due to stickiness, even after refrigerating, the dough sticks to my pizza peel. I prefer to use a sheet of parchment under the bread. Just make sure to keep your baking temps below Fahrenheit 451 (you know, the temp at which paper BURNS). The highest oven temperature I’ve used thus far was 425, so it should not be a problem.
- I started out making a half recipe of dough in the largest of my Tupperware bowls. I scrounged up a 5 quart ice cream bucket (cleaned out an ancient and a little bit gross tub of orange swirl ice cream from the chest freezer to get the bucket) and it would hold the full dough recipe, though I have not tried it.
- Leave time for the loaves to cool after baking. They crush very easily and turn gummy if you try to cut them hot.
I have thus far tried the basic recipe and the bagel recipe. I have challah dough in the fridge now and plan to make the pecan rolls in the next few days. I will let you know my results.
Now I am off shopping. Wish me luck to find a drain plug.
Best regards,
Lynn
If you read “Almost No-knead Bread” you will find they use parchment sprayed with cooking oil at 500 F.
I have done it with wax paper… I think the area around baking bread is at a lower temperature than the ignition point of paper.
You may be right but I have browned parchment paper to a crisp at temperatures below 500, so I prefer to exercise caution:).
Read the Almost No-Knead Bread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/479352
You might be able to use aluminum foil instead of parchment or wax paper. I can guarantee that once you try this method you will never go back to kneading bread again, it is that good!
The original recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated. Just Google “almost no knead” and you will find many recipes.
Good luck and safety first should be a top priority in any kitchen, IMHO.
Thanks Bill,
I will go check the chowhound thread – it is one of my favorite boards. I learn amazing stuff over there!