[aaronatthedoublef]

More on starter. I learn every day...

I switched it up and used medium rye instead of whole wheat which yielded a noticeable increase in activity. I then found an open bag of rye flour but didn't realize it was white rye. It had lower activity than both whole wheat or medium rye. It means I also must have used it for deli rye. I going to have to pickup some dark rye and do a variation on Mike's rye tests using different ryes in the same recipe.

I had to toss a few cups of starter. 🙁 The edge of the jar looked and smelled moldy and I did not want to take a chance so I dumped it. I will need to be cleaner now. Over on the BBGA everyone says a clean container each day. They are using large containers - one fellow has five gallon buckets! If someone is going to use glass jars as I do see if you can use wide mouth jars, use a wide mouth canning funnel, and wipe down the mouth. I will also move to clean jars more often.

[aaronatthedoublef]

The New York Times reported no new deaths over night in their Thursday newsletter. That is the first time since March.

Here restaurants are open and doing about 50% of normal business but it is heavily weather dependent. They want to move inside before the scheduled June 20 date. When I spoke with my friend he figured they would be able to use about half of their space inside.

He has lots of flour and yeast so that appears to be back to normal too. I did not ask if I could start using his kitchen again. I don't want to even if he said yes. Even though the CDC says the risk of spreading through surfaces is low I do not want to risk my infecting one of his employees or customers.

I'm going to see if I can find some of the large equipment he has used locally.

[aaronatthedoublef]

KAF has been an annual trip for us since our boy began going to summer camp up that way. I wish I'd purchased some giant bags of flour occasionally but I can find them down here at restaurant supply stores for less. I love gadgets but we just do not have the space AND I am cheap (maybe those should be reversed). But it is great to walk around and see everything and the people are so nice. And then my oldest began going to running camp way up in the Northeast Kingdom (15 minutes north of St. Johnsbury, Chocomouse).

I've always been a little disappointed with their café and there are some phenomenal places in the towns nearby. It's always been a fun couple of weekends, dropping off and picking up.

Sadly there is no camp this year. Our kids are second generation as my wife went there. My middle will age out and unless he wants to be a CIT he is done. But Violet will be old enough to begin going in a year or two.

[aaronatthedoublef]

BA, the pie sounds wonderful.

I made a sourdough again. Last time it looked dry so I added extra water. I had a softer crust but a very high oven spring. This time I resisted the urge to use water and had very little oven spring. I'll see how the crust is later. But it looks like I have to find the balance in hydration.

As for Ms. Parks recipe, I may try an experimental batch this weekend just to see if I can make it in a mixer. Some of the commenters/questioners on the site swear they've done it.

I'll probably use the paddle instead of the dough hook since it's very loose.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by aaronatthedoublef.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I'm in IT and went from working 9-10 hour days to 12 hour days...

[aaronatthedoublef]

I am a firmer believer that any recipe for home bakers should have an option for mixing by hand.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I made a double batch of Stella Parks whole wheat bread. I had an order from a friend for a loaf. This recipe is a pain because Ms. Parks is VERY adamant in the comments that this MUST be done in a 14 cup food processor and ours is 10. So I divided this up into quarters and then put it back together for its first rise. But the recipe is so loose that this is a sloppy, messy process and I am a naturally messy person so not a good combination.

I have sourdough on its first rise now and I'll make crackers tonight and bake off the sourdough tomorrow morning.

I have orders for whole wheat, English muffins, challah, and strawberry shortcake... And I didn't know I was even open for business.

I need a bigger food processor and a bigger stand mixer...

[aaronatthedoublef]

BA, I had a yardstick that disappeared. Three feet long and some bright color that looked purple to me and it is gone. We had a spray bottle with cleaner for the kitchen counters and table - GONE! My wife cannot find it and she can find anything.

My daughter thinks they tasted like cheese which may be the sour taste. Anyway, I'll play around with it some more. It is very easy to make and your substitutions make it healthier. It does use a lot of starter though. I may try to reduce the starter and increase the flour and water or add some milk in place of the water to mellow it out.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I used to make my own sauce and then I stopped. It's on my list of things to make again...

Just realized, though - The Trib told people to start making barbecue sauce and barbecuing during a meat shortage! 🙂

[aaronatthedoublef]

The flour shortage and baking craze may be slowing down. Our local paper picked up this story from the

Chicago Tribune

.

I don't know whether to be happy or sad.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I had two almost full quart jars of starter, one on the counter and one in the refrigerator. I've been using and feeding the one on the counter and used a lot to make sourdough bread and crackers this week so I brought up the one from the fridge. It builds up some alcohol so I check it every morning and pour off the hooch. I'll feed it and its sibling today. Maybe give them both some rye and check to see about the hooch build up at our now warm room temp.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I made BA's version of KAF sourdough crackers last night. I think I could have made them a little thinner and last night the olive oil I subbed for the butter was a little too assertive (whatever happened to "strong"). I'll have to try them again later today. Also, they may be too sour for my wife and daughter. But they are very easy. I can make some adjustments based on tastes. Cutting it with a pizza wheel gave me wonky shapes so I may use a biscuit cutter next time. I had some rulers but rulers, pencils, and Sharpies have a very short life here before they join the missing socks in the ether.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks BA. My starter is whole wheat and a little medium rye. I tried that to see the difference it might make.

I was thinking of subbing a little pastry flour for some of the bread flour because I don't have AP. I wouldn't replace it all - maybe a half cup. I'll have to figure out the math to bring the bread flour down to AP level. I might be able to pickup some KAF AP but I'm not sure if I will get to the store this week.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Sorry everyone for not keeping up...

BA, how pronounced is the sour in your raisin bread? The boys like sour sourdough. The girls do not.

Also I do not have any AP flour so maybe I'll add some pastry flour or cake flour to lower it.

KAF is odd - their pastry flour (8.5% I believe) has lower gluten than their cake flour (10% I believe).

When I emailed them and asked about that their respondent said he did not understand the question and suggested I call their hotline.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Len, just looked at your bread. It looks great!

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