Barking Dog Farm

I began my bread baking education one year ago, in response to Jeremy’s stated goal of building a wood-fired oven in our yard. We were making a lot of pizza, experimenting with doughs, and trying to get our kitchen oven hot enough to produce the flavor and texture we were after. The truth is, there is a reason that all the great pizza made in the world is cooked in fire, and its flavor is not something you can create in a regular oven- don’t get me wrong, you can make very very good pizza, its just not the ultimate. Additionally, Jeremy’s catering company is based on cooking over fire, so we really plan on making an entire outdoor wood-fired kitchen, with grill top as well as the coveted oven.

Baking bread in fire is different than in the oven, I figured that I should start baking in our regular oven so that by the time we had our wood fired oven, I would have a grasp of baking in a controlled environment. That was about 1 year ago- since then I have baked dozens upon dozens of loaves, of many different styles and techniques. I am self taught, with the help of some really fantastic books. I have learned shaping techniques from youtube, and new theories on a few favorite blogs and finally feel I have a ‘feel’ for my bread.

All creative endeavors evolve into a unique expression of the person, and bread baking is no exception. There is a definite technique, which includes the chemistry of yeast, sugar, protein, and time, which is fascinating and challenging (why is this recipe behaving like this today?) but  what I love is the feeling, the smell, and the transformation of the dough. The silky, cool texture of the dough as it begins to relax from kneeding, noticing how the dough can now stretch into elastic threads, the smell of the flour and water as they are mixed, and how that changes into a heady scent as the yeast begins to work. The sour smell of our very own starter (which is called Bea) and how the kids notice the similarity to Jeremy’s hard cider, and so we talk about yeast and sugar. Bread making is sensual, mental, intuitive. Its sexy. I won’t call myself a master baker, or even a great baker- I have so many loaves to go, but I can call the bread I bake ‘Emily’s bread’ now, and that is deeply satisfying.

Post script: we still don’t have our wood fired oven, but we are looking forward to building one some day, and by then breads will come out of that oven that will truly and fantastically Barking Dog Farm Bread.

Tags: wood fired oven

There are a few weeks left before Christmas, and just as importantly, the Winter Solstice. As the days darken earlier and earlier, I am baking to keep my mind and soul energized- last weekend I made 12 loaves of bread, today I am for the first time staring a seed culture so I can get into the leavened breads that I have always loved. I have also found inspiration by asking my friends to tell me about their favorite  holiday baked items. I aspire to deliver these morsels, at least visually, to the folks who claim these food traditions as their own.

I grew up in a suburb of New York City, where I could run about freely and my dogs could too. My best friend Liz lived several houses away, so we constantly flowed back and forth from each other’s home. When I asked for favored baked items she emailed me an intriguing recipe for “Frosted Creams.”  The recipe is for a WWII era cookie her grandmother used to make, and to quote my dear Liz:

It’s a molasses cookie, with a ton of walnuts and raisins and allspice, ginger, etc. Finished with a lemon icing. It’s the best of cake, quick bread, and a cookie; all in one.

I just made the cookie, and it is just as she described it, it seems so old-world, hearty, not sickly sweet. I am so grateful she shared this with me, not only because its yummy and unique, but also because there is a treasure trove of old recipes out there that need to be made into the delightful treats they describe. Lets spread our food heritage around, crack open that dusty old recipe box and relive your childhood!

Looking at the handwriting of my grandmother, my mother, and my young self is so touching. Those women are gone from my life now, but I feel them with me when I see words written in their own hand, the cards stained from their own messes. Perhaps the reason why we gather around the holiday table year after year eating the same menu is to commune with those who are no longer with us: its a sort of food seance!

Check back soon for more recipes! And please let me know what you love to eat or make thats baked!

Tags: Baking, childhood memories, family, heritage recipes, holiday, homestead, recipes

Like so many people this weekend, I am reflecting on all that I have to be grateful for. Our holiday was marked by three generations of people who sat at our table, a mix of friends old and new; the family we are born into and the family we create as we go along in life. We can act on the gratitude the holiday asks us to become aware of; lets celebrate the next few holidays on the calendar with generosity and thoughtfulness, and less consumerism. We can allocate our holiday spending towards charitable causes like Heifer International , or we could pool the collective resources of our family towards a fantastic group vacation. Gifts that create memories or help others in need, gifts that improve the world rather than collect dust and use up resources.

Mincemeat Pie

the long table

breads for stuffing and cranberry relish

sausage for stuffing

stuffing assembly

Pumpkin Pie

Cheers!

May your holiday season be filled with gratitude and generosity. Thank you to all the wonderful people who touch our life here at Barking Dog Farm .

Tags: Baking, Bread, dinner party, family, holiday, homestead, thanksgiving

the chicken's house

The bread baking obsession continues, I am training myself to create a variety of different delicious loaves because as you must know my delightful husband is going to open a butcher shop called The Meat Market which will specialize in local and pasture raised meats…he is an accomplished chef, and will be sampling his wares to customers so they can experience the quality of his products, what better medium than very delicious breads???

I have been experimenting with sprouting grains, to varying success. Some didn’t rise properly due to inadequate sugars or too high moisture content without good gluten structure (hello mung-beans) others are just too dense… but two partially happy results have in one case (1/3 rye, 1/3 spelt, 1/3 red wheat) created a nutty, textured loaf perfect for toast and honey, and in another case (1/4 rye, 1/2 wheat, 1/4 mung beans) produced a very dense, somewhat vegetable-tasting barely-risen loaf great for canned or cured fish- like smoked salmon or canned sardines (Jeremy’s addiction.) A recent try with 100% Triticale (grown at our local and beloved Wild Hive Farm) had an amazing scent of maple, was a total failure- producing a dense wet lump, good thing we have chickens!

spouted rye/wheat/spelt/mung beans

the lovely but inedible triticale loaf, with a pastry crust behind it

Despite the failures, I love the process of experimentation.. Ultimately I wind up back with my beloved French style loaves, these are made with a pate fermente that I have frozen for use on a whim. In this case the pate fermente had about 30% whole wheat four, when I made the dough I continued the theme, using about 60% whole wheat, some course ground, some more refined. The result was a pleasantly nutty loaf with a nice crumb, not too toothy as we have been really exercising our masticatory muscles on those sprouted loaves! A much deserved mouth break!!

Tags: Baking, Bread, fall, gardens, sprouted grains

I have been baking- a few wonderful things. Little rolls called Sacaduros which are formed around a little clump of butter and a sprinkle of course salt….and a pear tatin, perfectly sweet-tart, juicy caramelized yumminess over a crumbly tart crust. …………..

hmmm, or what about the texture and slightly sour flavor of a sprouted whole grain loaf- rye, red wheat, and spelt…

Tags: Baking, Bread, homestead

Its so amazing how life brings great people forward just when you need them. Six years ago I met a cat, Ivan, who belongs to a lovely woman, Michelle, seeking my care as a veterinarian. Since then I have almost annually seen Ivan for the wounds he acquires as a bad-ass out in the world. At some point I started coming to his house, where I learned he also belongs with a gentleman, Kit, who was generally on the phone and computer. This past year though, Ivan apparently behaved himself- and I didn’t hear from Kit and Michelle- until a chance encounter at a gallery opening, where Kit’s beautiful photographs were displayed. This meeting began a critically important reconnection for me and my husband, Jeremy, who is planning to open a butcher shop in our town. We held a fund-raising party in August and needed it documented with photography as beautiful as we knew the food would be- and after seeing Kit’s photos- we knew he could do it. So I asked, and he said YES. The appointed morning he showed up with Michelle as the second photographer, and they stayed for 12 hours taking the most gorgeous pictures you can imagine…and now Kit and Michelle are building our web-presence, and Ivan is still ok, and THAT’S MY FIRST BLOG!

Tags: Bread