Bread & Books

[eredien]

I've become obsessed with bread-making lately. Before, we only had regular yeast, so that was what I used. This weekend I got some new quick-acting yeast. My goodness, it makes a difference! During the dough stage, the dough kneaded instead of sticking to the paddle and being whapped against the sides of the breadmaker, and the white loaf with candied lemon peel currently in the breadmaker is getting a HUGE, POOFY, delicious-looking crust. Only 20 minutes left!

Books I read this weekend:
Dust, Elizabeth Bishop
The Virgin of Flames, Chris Abani
Usagi Yojimbo, vol. 1, Stan Sakai
...all I can say about these right now is that they are very different from each other.

I also took a lot of pictures and video at the Franklin Park Zoo. Baby giraffe! Two day old baby wildebeest! Newly hatched butterfiles! A really close closeup of a Kia parrot! A twenty minute conversation with a cockatoo!

Also had two lovely BBQs.

Reviews of books, and pictures from the zoo, to come.

Also, if you care about book design, these will make you happy. The Penguin Great Ideas series cover designs:
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3

Comments

[eredien]

Hm, I keep it sealed in its envelopes in a glass jar in the pantry. I guess maybe I should put it in the fridge but I thought yeast was not supposed to get too cold, either.

I would love to try fresh yeast, but I can't find where to get any.

[autumnesquirrel.livejournal.com]

I guess I wouldn't put the little packets in the freezer, but Mom buys her yeast in bulk and keeps most of it in the freezer.

I've never used fresh yeast, but if you decide to get some I'd be willing to share. Chowhound has a thread on buying fresh yeast in the boston area and seems to think that you can get small blocks of it in most grocery stores, but I'm not sure where in the store. Maybe try Harvest or Whole Foods in the cooler section?

Bread Alone

[nucl3arsnke.livejournal.com]

Bread Alone is a bread book referenced in The Omnivore's Dilemma that also has instructions for this.

I'm thinking of getting it because I like the title so damn much!