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Newsletter>
Bread Baking Tips
August 11, 2007
Dear Friends,
I have had some inquiries on baking bread, so I thought I
would send out a quick newsletter before the weekend.
Soaking grains seems to be the newest trend in bread baking
these days. The reason is because the fermentation of the
grains (flour), allows for greater absorption of certain
minerals. Soaking also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors which
encourages the production of beneficial enzymes. This
increases the amount of other vitamins in the grains. The
fermentation process also breaks down the gluten, and other
proteins, and makes them easier for the body to absorp.
So, it seems like a good idea to soak your flour. The
question on everyone's mind is...How do I go about this
process?
It is very simple, really. You will combine your flour
with your liquid and make a dough that is thick enough to
form a ball. Place this dough ball in bowl and cover it
with a towel. Let it sit for around 12 to 18 hours. When
you are ready to proceed, you will combine your yeast,
water, honey, and whatever other ingredients your recipe
calls for, and mix that into a ball with no more than one
cup of flour. Knead the two balls of dough together,
adding a small amount of flour if you must, place in a
bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise until it has
doubled. Proceed as you normally would. This bread will
have a taste to it like a mild sourdough bread.
Speaking of sourdough bread, this is my current favorite.
I have caught myself some wild yeast and now have a perfect
sourdough starter! Combine this method with soaking, and
you have a very healthy loaf of delicious bread!
I do not always soak my flour. Sometimes I want an old
fashioned loaf of bread, just like Grandma used to make.
Other times, I just plain don't get around to soaking. My
mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother did not soak
their flour. Don't become a slave to any one method of
cooking or baking, just because it is the newest trend.
Yes, it appears that soaking is the healthiest way to go,
but if you are grinding your flour fresh and baking your
bread yourself, you are still consuming a very nutritious
loaf, and one that is superior to anything you could buy at
the grocery store. Soaking is something to try, and by all
means, become comfortable with it. However, if you don't
bake every loaf of bread that way, don't worry about it.
Do the best you can and know that as long as you are
carefully choosing your ingredients and baking with
wholesome foods, you are doing yourself and your family a
big favor!
I will be sending out a newsletter soon on how you can
catch your own wild yeast! Soon, you can begin enjoying
the pleasures of sourdough. I would also like to begin
selling sourdough starters on the site, so stay tuned! I
do have a bread page up on the site and if you are
struggling to find a local supplier for your whole grains,
we do sell them. Check out the Bread page for more
information. www.fromfieldsandgardens.com
Shalom,
Jennifer Ferris
www.fromfieldsandgardens.com
Jennifer@fromfieldsandgardens.com
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