Pequod

Just to confuse things, I typically use both slap and fold AND stretch and fold, but at different times in the process. I use slap and fold as the last step of mixing to build the initial structure, and then I’ll use stretch and folds at 30 minute intervals after that to continue to build structure. How many stretch and folds I do depends on the dough and how much structure building I need. Slack doughs — high hydration or lots of spelt — will get more stretch and folds. A new wrinkle…after an hour or so of stretch and folds I’ll use a gentler folding technique so as not to degas the dough. Specifically, I do coil folds, especially if it is a high hydration dough. Lots of youtube videos on coil folding, so won’t bother to paste one here. But it’s a very gentle technique that’s very effective at building structure. @C6Bill — just noticed you’re in Boston. I’m currently up in Woburn for work. I shoulda stopped by for a slice of your bread! 😬

I've used Cairnspring Mills, which I'm plowing through right now. I use Sequoia for my 11-12% flour and Trailblazer for T85. Both are fantastic. If I had to live with only one "white" flour, it would probably be Trailblazer. But I'm interested in trying the Carolina Ground T85 for comparison. Shipping is a bit cheaper for Carolina Ground since it is regional.

I'm interested to hear the results of these experiments. I'm planning an order of Carolina Ground flours, but first, I need to work down some existing stock. I plan to start my desem this weekend, milling some of my hard red wheat stock. Hopefully, I'll join the desem fun in about two weeks. Oh, and yes to slap and fold. It does take effort, but the gluten structure builds quickly. I had been doing Rubaud method with high hydration doughs, but slap and fold is faster and hurts my hand much less.

@tekobo - Proof of sourdough crumpets!

Interesting. Is that 73% hydration with 100% extraction flour? That seems very low for whole, unsifted flour.

Tara relocated to Hamilton, VA about two years ago. This puts her about 2 hours north of me, and just west of Dulles Airport.

Desem also appears in Tara Jensen’s book “Flour Power.” The workshop I’m taking with her next month includes different levains, so I’m expecting some discussion on desem (or I’ll be raising my hand to ask). She did a stint in Asheville, NC, home of Carolina Ground, hence the lineage from Robertson to Scott to Lapidus to Jensen. Asheville also has a biennial Bread Festival: https://www.ashevillebreadfestival.com. Next one is Spring 2025. I’m thinking I need to make that pilgrimage — Asheville is just about 5 hours drive south of me.

I shouldn't have stopped by here today. I recently came across Desem in the "Southern Ground" book and am trying to resist the need to develop a Desem starter. Resistance is futile, it seems. Southern Ground tells the story of Carolina Ground, which works with farmers to restore historic grains, mill them, and supply the flour to regional bakeries. One of my favorite local bakeries, Albemarle Baking Company, uses their flour. Next month, I'm doing a workshop with Tara Jensen, a renowned baker and Carolina Ground advocate (@bakerhands on Instagram).

There are no pics, but I made the King Arthur Crumpets with sourdough discard. I'm unsure how authentic they are, but they are very delicious. They are a thick, fluffy pancake—great use of sourdough discard.

Another advantage of using a levain might be keeping the starter consistent if you're accumulating and using the discard for other things, like crumpets!

Don’t know if I’d say there’s an advantage to it vs. what you suggest, but making a separate levain from my starter is usually what I do. My starter is 100% hydration and fed a mix of 70/30 white/whole rye, and the levain branches from that to whatever the formula calls for. Maybe a *slight* advantage to this is that the levain timing is very predictable. For example, a 1:2:2 levain at 78 degrees will be ready in about 5 hours.

Sourdough Crumpets @tekobo: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-crumpets-recipe Going to give these a go.

That's an interesting idea with the Airscape container. I'd thought of doing something similar for pizza dough, which would benefit from long, slow ferments at above-fridge temperatures. I've also considered something like this with a bit more capacity: Amazon.com: Cooluli 20 Liter Mini Fridge with Temperature Control - Black: Home & Kitchen I don't know anything about that particular model, but it's an example of a portable, adjustable fridge. @tekobo - see what I did there? I saw @Syzygies container and raised him a fridge!

Those muffins look almost as sad as the ones my wife typically buys. I made these to show her a real muffin. Problem is…I think I just signed myself up to a new weakly (not misspelled) duty. 😳

Sourdough English Muffins with 10% fresh milled spelt. No idea what these are called in England. Muffins? Crumpets? Little hunks o’ bread? I should look that up.

I agree about the bright display. I thought the dimmer didn't work on mine, but then I realized it was dimmed. It reminds me of the "chicken roaster" episode of Seinfeld.

Here is Maurizio’s guide to using Sourdough Home. I’m following the “bake one day a week” schedule and it works very well: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/feed-your-starter-less-often-thanks-to-the-sourdough-home/ And it is in stock at King Arthur: https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/sourdough-home

Don’t think you understand. It’s not a question of whether you’re actively making bread. It’s a question of…do you have this toy, just in case. 😈 Here is today’s loaf of 40% fresh milled white sonora which will be going to my wife’s co-worker. She happens to have prolific chickens, so we’ve been the recipients of excess eggs. Quid pro quo.

@tekobo -- new toy you need to up your breadmaking game. Note the photobombing grains in the back, ready for milling.

As I’ve been telling the young engineers I work with, you know it’s time to retire when you walk around an Air & Space museum and keep thinking, “I remember working on that…” 😳

Most of the time, if I’m doing “2-zone” in the 23, I’m fudging indirect by grilling on the main grate with a full basket below and with or without a sheet of foil on the middle grate. Then remove those grates and go low for the sear. Not a true 2-zone, but distance squared works pretty well. Turns out I used to do rocket science. I wish the rocket folks would think a bit more, and the grilling folks think a bit less.

Yep, still making bread and pizza. Always sourdough. New/old discoveries…Challenger Bread Pan not allowed as an answer…hmmm…

I’m also a fan of the Challenger Bread Pan

You need a bread proofer. Or you're a hack. 😏 You mill your own flour, right? RIGHT???

Hello! Just saw myself tagged over at AmazingRibs, but not sure if there was a question. You're in good hands here. These are the real pros. I'm a hack. 😏