go directly to the recipe

summary: Shepherd’s Bread based on a recipe in “Bread for all Seasons” by Beth Hensperger; a Bread Baking Babes project; submission for YeastSpotting and Bake Your Own Bread; (click on images to see larger views and more photos)

Bread Baking Babes (BBB) May 2012

It’s a miracle!! I made the bread on time!

And what fabulous looking bread it is too. I’m so thrilled with the oven-spring. The deep crevices from the slashes disappeared entirely, creating an amazing contrast to the heavily floured outside!

This bread made with all-purpose and whole wheat flours as well as a small amount of rye flour, was baked under a dome for the first 30 minutes. Talk about a steam chamber!

Sure, it looks like a soccer ball. But it doesn’t seem like it’s is going to bounce across the kitchen floor.

(continue reading…)

summary: we love beet salad! It’s great with just about everything. (click on image to see larger views and more photos)

One of my very favourite vegetable dishes is stir-fried beet greens. When we’re at the vegetable store, I cannot resist beets if they still have their lush leafy tops attached.

This means that we always have lots and lots of beets in the fridge….

Luckily, both of us adore beet salad. Beet salad made with uncooked grated beets and cider vinegar. We make large quantities of the salad and leave it in a bowl in the fridge. It goes perfectly with just about everything: Indian food, Middle Eastern food, Western food, festive formal dinners, roasted ham, barbecues, sandwiches, hamburgers. I actually can’t imagine that it would be out of place anywhere.

If you haven’t tried beet salad yet, don’t scoff. It does NOT taste raw. It’s fresh and sweet and crunchy – but not too sweet and definitely not too crunchy.

The salad is always slightly different. The only constant is beets, onions and cider vinegar. Sometimes we add carrots, apples and/or pears if we have them. Sometimes we throw in a little clove or garlic. Thompson raisins are a very nice addition as well. Beet salad always tastes just as good the next day. And continues to taste wonderful for several days. (continue reading…)

summary: what? no bread this month? the other Bread Baking Babes managed to bake in time! (click on image to see larger view and more photos)

Bread Baking Babes (BBB) April 2012

We have all the ingredients on hand. But as you can see, the mixing bowl is empty.

Sigh. I wanted to bake this bread! I really did. And I will bake this bread. Just not in time… (continue reading…)

A nearby woodpecker is busy busy busy and a morning dove is calling gently.

Happy Easter!