I think there were some benefits to growing up in a small Zulu village where one baker provided bread for the entire community. It was awful stuff, grey, with a strange texture. There were pieces of cockroaches and mealworms in it sometimes. The worst story I ever heard was that someone had even found a portion of rat in a loaf. Even as a young child, this inspired me to investigate home bread making and put it into practice.
So, needless to say, our preference was to make bread at home. The soft wheat found in Africa was never very inspiring for the enthusiastic bread maker, but our home baked bread was delicious, highly preferable to the alternative, and had that uniquely irresistible fragrance of fresh-baked loaves. |
I read about rye flour. I longed to try some, and even wrote to the flour millers association, begging to find a source. Guess what? Only the commercial bakers could get it! So I stuck to what I was stuck with. But I still made my own bread.
Fast forward. We moved to Canada. I knew I was going to realize my dream. And there it was, in any supermarket, of all places! Bags of hard wheat, superb, best in the world flour; any type I cared to try.
It was so overwhelming I almost couldn't deal with this new reality. I experimented and baked, no matter where life took us. And now, without any effort, I was making perfect bread.
There were three ovens in that thing, all thoroughly explored by yours truly. I was constantly reminded that bread was important for our health - after all, it is spoken about even from biblical days, when loaves helped to make the fish go around. Also it is referred to as the "staff of life."
Too long to go into this now, because it's complicated. Let me just say, if you see anything other than whole grain flour, yeast, salt, on the label, it doesn't meet the 'good bread' of my criteria.
Over the years I have come to realize that I feel bloated and unwell after eating commercial bread. I never really thought about it too much, just avoided it, never have a commercial bun with a hamburger - things like that.
Then I started noticing the new fad of 'gluten free'. It is at the stage of craziness now, as far as I am concerned. People even look at malt vinegar askance, as it is reported to have gluten in it.
I get it that people feel like I do when I eat commercial products. But why then would I be unaffected by my own bread? And those biblical people knew they were onto a good thing when their rough high-gluten bread sustained their lives.
Recently it seems more people have started to look at sourdough bread more seriously. There are a handful of studies on line, and all have found that people with gluten intolerance may eat sourdough bread without any problem.
I hasten to add - NOT the supermarket, commercial stuff. That is just sourdough flavoured, if you can believe that! It has to be artisan bread made with long fermentation. I believe further studies are on the way.
In keeping with modern life, I no longer have a bubbling jar of sourdough at the ready, feeding it, nurturing it, etc. No, I make a fresh batch of dough every couple of weeks, and it ferments and matures in the fridge.
I use my big stand mixer, and it usually takes about 5 minutes to mix the dough. I never knead it at all, just put it in its fridge container ( which I never wash!) and let it rise and develop that unmistakable, flavourful sourdough taste. It gets better and better, can be used as you want it, over a period of up to 10 days.
Any time I need bread, pizza, flatbread or any other yeast products, I simply take out the quantity I need, let it warm up and rise, then bake it. I always have lots to give away to neighbors as well. I can't believe how delighted they are! Great gifts too, in a decorated basket or baker's bag. And economical.
Want to get my beyond easy, basic sourdough bread for everyday use? Just click here to get an easy to make recipe w/ simple, yet healthy ingredients!
Want to read more on the sourdough studies? Here's one you'll find interesting, Gluten-free sourdough wheat baked goods appear safe for young celiac patients: a pilot study