Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge

Anyone out there want to learn how to bake bread? Join me (and hundreds from all over the world) in the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge.

BBA Book 102

And what is the BBA challenge? A group of home bakers working through every bread recipe in Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. The brainchild of the picturesque and entertaining Pinch My Salt blog.  Using Mr. Reinhart’s wonderful book as a text we’ll bake our way from Anadama bread to whole wheat bread with bagels, baguettes and Ciabatta along the way.

Visit Eagle Harbor Books for your copy and get started today!

PS  You don’t need any baking experience to join us as the following journal will attest:

 

BBA Recipe Number One:

Okay, It seems that I’m not a natural bread baker. My first attempt at the Bread Baker’s Apprentice (BBA) challenge resulted in a broken Kitchen Aid mixer, a frantic drive across the island to find a bread pan and a lopsided loaf of bread.

bread and wine making 145 R fixing my mixer

 

Despite my shaky start I am undaunted. Sort of. I think that maybe jet lag is to blame. After all, starting a two day bread baking project at 1AM after flying halfway around the world probably isn’t a recipe for success.

Clearly I need a local support group. A support group would have talked me down from mixing potions after midnight. A support group would have loaned me a bread pan so I didn’t have to watch half my work expand into a misshapen blob like a troll with a bee sting.

And what is the deal with bread pans? Has there been a run on bread pans? I went to two different shops that should have had pans but both were out of stock and I returned home sans pans. The blob was just plain spooky when I left on the pan quest; when I got home it looked like it might start talking.

In case you’re wondering the Kitchen Aid survived.

By the way. It’s great to be home…and the bread tasted great.

bread and wine making 157

4 comments:

sandraj said...

Wish I had know I have lots of Bread Pans. I think I might get that bread book. maybe.

Lisa said...

Got my book today! Looking forward to reading through Parts 1 and 2. : )

Wanda said...

Your first attempt looks great! Have you made any more? I've joined the challenge also and did well until I hit the bagels.

carla said...

Wanda, I've baked the bagels and they are terrific. Next up is Casatiello an Italian pennetone style with savory additions like Provolone cheese and salami. Let me know how your bagels turn out.