Very Nearly Local Bread

    This summer has been the greatest summer ever! We've been busy visiting friends, camping and hanging out at home. We've been so busy coming and going that my blogging has fallen behind, sincere apologies.  


    This week I finally got started on my goal of making local bread.  I've borrowed this book from my local library:

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day is a cookbook that promises a basic method of bread making that is both easy and delicious. It was this video that convinced me that this could be my local bread break through.

 So I followed the instructions, mixed warm tap water with yeast. I still can't find local yeast, I used Fleischman's, which is made in Quebec. I used kosher salt (also not local) and local flour. Stirred and, well, see for yourself:

Looks a bit like papier mache

After two hours on the kitchen counter:

Then I covered it in a lidded container over night. The next evening I cut off a grapefruit sized piece and cloaked it. Then I set it on a cutting board with cornmeal on the bottom.

I let it rise for 40 minutes. Then got it dressed for the oven, I used a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, if things go well I'll ask for a pizza stone for my birthday. I dusted the top with flour and cut the top with a knife and put it in the oven-

 Thirty minutes later, voila-

It's yummy and lovely to look at.

It's really good, a little on the smallish side but I like it and it is the most local bread I can make.  I've ordered my own copy of the book and am looking forward to trying out the rest of the recipes.