5.14.2010

foodstuff: baking with peter reinhart

last week, i told the beginning of my adventures in baking with yeast through my honey olive oil pizza dough recipe post.

this week, the adventure continues as i share what's going on in my baking evolution.

my sweet kevwrex got me this book as a gift earlier this year...


...i was delighted! thrilled! excited! and i immediately started reading it.

that's when the ol' baking with yeast fear came back.

the first part of the book is all about starters and fermentation and scary scientific yeasty things.  i got overwhelmed and something in my brain shut down.

sadly, it has been sitting on my kitchen shelf looking beautiful but lonely since that moment.

then i saw this ted talk given by peter reinhart himself...







...and i really enjoyed it.

this lecture inspired me to once again work on overcoming my baking with yeast issues!

so this week i picked up the book again.

this time, i made it past chapter one and realized that most of the recipes do not require the super intense practically need to be a microbiologist yeast methods that initially scared me.

thus, i am now trying to decide what to bake first. my top choices are:

1. challah
2. cinnamon buns
3. focaccia

i'd love some votes, if you have a moment to weigh in on this important decision.

what baking project out of peter reinhart's artisan breads every day do you think i should try first?

7 comments:

jackiebean said...

they all sound wonderful, but my vote is for focaccia!

Anonymous said...

yep, i think focaccia first...with something yummy all over it :)

Heidi pumpkin pie said...

focaccia for sure!

a blog about the little things said...

yum! a book dedicated to bread is always a good thing. i share the same fear of crazy-yeast-methods so shy away from attempting to bake any. i'll have to check out this delicious looking book!

Unknown said...

Cinnamon buns rock the mic right. That's my vote.

diane said...

thank you all for the votes so far!

currently, focaccia is in the lead.

does anyone else have an opinion?

Rebecca said...

I love challah. I say go for it with something challahnging!