Baking Bread

I love bread. It bums me out when I indulge in bread, or anything for that matter, that doesn’t taste as good as it can. Like many, Emily took up bread making during Covid, and we all got to indulge in her delicious wares every time she made it.

I have been disappointed with the local bread and asked for a bread lesson. There are countless ways to play with your bread. You can make it denser, darker, sourer, or nuttier, which is part of the fun. For the first lesson, we made Tartine’s Country Bread.

I learned about keeping up with your starter (the key to bread baking) and using a scale to get the exact grams. Dough rising in the fridge overnight vs. four hours on the counter. Being quick when it comes to touching and scoring the bread. A handful of tricks from the master.

The key is being present with a timer, measuring precisely, and being patient. The outcome is worthy in each bite.