Sucessful Tartine loaves

A couple weeks ago we all went to a cyclocross race. Mike pulled a couple of loaves out of a brown paper bag, and Maria immediately zeroed in. "These aren't from the grocery store, are they?" Mike explained his sideline business teaching people how to bake, where the proceeds go to charity.

I Bought the Tartine Bread Book for myself for Christmas, got some ultimate performer flour from Giusto's, and then I studied for a few days before trying.














It seemed a bit intimidating after the first read-through, what with talk of bench-rest, bulk-rise, and the whole need for a dutch oven. I thought I was going to try to start Tuesday morning, but my timing was all off, and my leaven (the bit of sourdough starter mixed with some water and flour to get the yeast culture ready for baking) wasn't ready to use when I was ready to start. Then I waited too long, and it went incredibly sour.

So I threw that out and assault number two started yesterday morning. My levin was ready when I got home from the field-trip with the kiddies. So I dove in, followed the steps in the book, and this morninng I baked the loaves.

All I can say now is Wow... and give me another slice of that bread! Maria was skeptical if it was really worth all this work, and then she had her first slice this morning at breakfast, and she's sold. As long as I keep the kitchen clean, she wants more.