Dough: Fennel and Black Pepper Bread

The book this recipe is from is called 'Superfoods 300 Recipes for Foods that Heal Body and Mind'. This is a random book for me to own and the story of how I came to own it is pretty random as well. My husband and I went for a picnic on Toronto's Island and came across this semi-permanent structure that individuals had placed all their unwanted household and clothing items. It was a free community exchange of goods. This book was one of the items. I have yet to make anything else from this book, but this fennel and black pepper bread is wonderfully spicy! It would be perfect on a cold winter evening with a bowl of thick, soul-warming stew.

Mix
 1 tablespoon yeast
 1 teaspoon sugar
 1 cup warm water

Proof. Knead in
 1 3/4 cups AP flour
 2 tablespoon olive oil
 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

Rise 1 hour and 30 minutes. Shape and place in greased loaf pans. Bake 375 for 35 minutes.

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Sourdough Pancakes

I have made a couple of versions of sourdough pancakes and this recipe is the closest to perfection. It is a light, airy pancake but does not have the intense sourdough flavor that some of the other recipes have. Alternative recipes with an intense sourdough flavor are accompanied by an unpleasant gummy texture. This texture is so unpleasant that I am glad to avoid it, even if that means a little less sourdough flavor!

Sourdough Pancakes - from The Wooden Spoon

(altered to make vegan)

Mix

 1 cup sourdough starter

 1 cup soy milk

 1 cup AP flour

Let sit overnight.

Add

 1 cup soymilk

 1/4 cup oil

Incorporate. Then add

 1 cup flour

 1 tablespoon sugar

 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon baking powder

Cook as per regular pancakes.

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Dough: 100% Sourdough - Take 2

Another Sourdough attempt. It keeps looking better!

Mix:

2 cup starter

1 cup warm water

1 cup flour

Mix. Let sit overnight.

Add:

3 cup flour

2 T oil

4 t sugar

2 t salt

Rise 3 hours. Shape. Rise 1 hour. Bake 350 for 1 hour.

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Dough: Everyday Sourdough Bread

Some white bread recipes make a loaf that is very similar to the commercially available bread. This is fine if you have children and want to send their PB&J's on bread that won't embarrass them. I am over being embarrassed by my bread. I like a little heft to my bread - even the white bread. This loaf is perfect - white, fluffy, a little sour, a little crusty. The perfect blend. The perfect way to use up some starter.

Everyday Sourdough Bread from The Wooden Spoon Bread Book

Proof:

2 cup water

1 T yeast

2 T sugar

Stir in:

1 cup starter

3 cup flour

Beat. Cover. Let rise 1 hour. Stir down. Beat in:

2 T oil

2 t salt

Add:

3 to 4 cup flour

Knead. Shape. Rise. Bake 45-50 minutes.

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Dough: Making a sourdough starter

Alright, this month is all bread! Breads of every kind - yeasted, quick and sourdough. Yes, the dreaded sourdough bread. But don't be a-feared! Sourdough breads are easy, fun, and tasty! Oh-so-tasty!

The important thing to remember is that a sourdough starter is basically a pet! You have to feed it and make sure it is happy. When the pet is young, it requires much more care but once established it only requires weekly/monthly attention. It's fun to name your starter - mine is called London - why? because if Paris Hilton had a child she would name it London....

Day 1
Mix 1 tablespoon rye flour, 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour and 2 tablespoons pineapple juice. Stir. Cover. Let sit for 24 hours.

Day 2
Repeat day one.

Day 3
Repeat day one.

Day 4
Mix 1/4 cup of starter, 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, and 1/4 cup water.

Repeat day 4 for about a week.

After starter is established, you can leave it in the fridge for a week. When you want to use it, remove from fridge, let it come to room temperature then feed it.

The starter will get stronger and stronger each week and each time you use. Use it frequently and it will start to make really great bread!

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VeganMoFo 2011: Bread

This year Vegan MoFo will be all about bread! And carbs of every kind!

To kick it off please check out some of my previous bread related posts!

Red Bean Paste Pancakes
Sourdough Onion Bread

Additionally, clicky-click on the 'dough' tag to get more bread related fun!
Back tommorrow (and the next day and the next...) with more!

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Drinking: Raspberry T'ej (Mead)

Everyone should make this Ethiopian-style honey wine! It's so easy - just mix and let sit/ferment for a few weeks. Then enjoy! This recipe came from Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz.

Raspberry T'ej (Mead)
2 cups honey
9 cups water
2 pints raspberries

Mix together honey, water and raspberries. Let sit for 3 to 4 days or until it starts to bubble. Once it is bubbling, strain off raspberries, and transfer to a glass 1 gallon carboy. Cork with rubber stopper and airlock. Leave for 2 to 4 weeks, or until bubbling slows. Bottle. Place in fridge and enjoy.


The carboy and airlock cost me about 10 bucks at the local homebrew store. The mead has a faint aroma of raspberries and quite yummy. It's so easy to make mead that I already have plans to buy another carboy and make some more. Yum yum!

Have you made mead? What's your favorite recipe? Any hints for a newbie?

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