a peek inside the fishbowl

23 Oct, 2008

iKnead

Posted by andrea tomkins in: - iKnead|Recipes and Food

I’m not sure where this all started, but it’s become a growing fixation. Perhaps it’s rooted in my disappointment with that ever-expanding aisle of soft and flavourless white breads. Maybe it’s that dark brown loaf my grandmother brought home from the corner bakery –  which I probably ate in its entirely –  smearing each rich slice with a thick layer butter and honey, fresh as the day was clear. Maybe it’s the yeasty smell of a fresh loaf, hot out of the oven. Maybe it began when I noticed the smiling faces of my family, happily anticipating the kind of warm, simple pleasures that brings us all back to our childhoods.

Picture below is a failed batch of milk bread buns I made yesterday. As you can see, the “bun” shape remained somewhat elusive this time around. Really, what we have here is a giant baking-pan sized bumpy ol’flatbread.

milk bread buns

As for round one in the corner? Let’s just call that an experiment.

I’m learning, and that’s what’s important here, right?

I’ve started a new sub-category under Recipes and Food, called iKnead. And my plan is to document the best bread recipes, discoveries, and the mistakes I make along the way (trust me, there will be many). I hope you’ll follow along!

In the case of the flattened buns, I didn’t oil the plastic wrap (like directed) and didn’t leave enough space between them (like directed).

Lesson one: instructions are meant to be followed.

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3 Responses to "iKnead"

1 | The Veg Next Door

October 23rd, 2008 at 8:00 am

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I learned the hard way…when baking instructions MUST be followed. The buns still look yummy. The pizza dough from Friday night was yum-o!

2 | mark

October 23rd, 2008 at 8:34 am

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They tasted great though and for my money that’s all that matters. They’re not going into a museum, they’re meant to be eaten.

3 | Lex

October 24th, 2008 at 9:41 am

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My dad is an amazing bread maker and I spent years trying to learn. I really hit my stride when I decided to bake all the buns for one of our BBQ & Sangria parties. Buns for 100+ people. I’ve found it’s a real “body knowledge” kind of thing that you learn by repetition and failure, repetition and failure (rinse and repeat).
But as Mark said, “they tasted great… that’s all that matters”. And the ingredients are cheap!
I’m a big fan of Baking Bread:Old and New Traditions (http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Bread-Old-New-Traditions/dp/0811800784/ref=sr_1_36?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224859152&sr=8-36) and I’ve seen it on more than a few shelves in artisan bakeries

Good luck!!!

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My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

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