Saturday, July 12, 2008

Bread Baking Buddies: Round Up at the Dark Onion Rye Corral

I was host kitchen this month for the Bread Baking Babes and I had a few of my fellow babes unintentionally get their monogrammed panties in a bit of a knot over the differences of rye flour here in the States versus in some parts of Europe. What caused this almost international bread incident? Well, we made a recipe of my own creation for Dark Onion Rye using starter created from my starter recipe.

Because this was a very involved recipe that needed a starter, we gave anyone who wanted to be a Bread Baking Buddy, two weeks to finish the bread, post about it on their blogs and email me a link to the post. Or, if they didn't have a blog, email a picture with a bit of info about themselves.

I'm thrilled that we had nine adventurous and intrepid souls who took us up on the offer to explore the darker side of rye, including a few new comers to the rodeo!

First out of the chute with a nice looking boule of DOR was Ulrike of Kuchenlatein.



She always has the most informative posts about bread and had some really good ideas about why some of the Babes had issues with their rye flour. Thanks Ulrike for a good assist!

Next up, Rita sent me a photo of such wonderful looking slices of a DOR boule

100% Dark Onion Rye

that I just wanted to run right out, purchase an airplane ticket and show up with a hunk of good Vermont Sharp Cheddar to sit down with her and her family to have a slice.

That same day, our lovely bread baking friend, Zorra from Kochtopf sent in another set of fantastic looking slices from her boule made from a really active starter.



It's a good thing I would already be in Europe because after leaving Rita's house I'd need to get some cheese and probably some cured meats and beer and sit down with Zorra to chat about starters and bread!

Fellow Babe Sher's super friend, Paulchen joined us again as a Buddy with this super looking bread.



Doesn't that look like it is ready for its close-up with pastrami and mustard?!

Next up one of my favourite food bloggers, Madam Chow, joined us with another lovely looking boule



This wonderful looking boule even got a mention on Susan of the fabulous Wild Yeast's weekly round of all things bread, "Yeastspotting"!

Next, showing up to the shindig with her guns blazing and ready to show the world up in the wilds of Alaska, where they know a thing or two about sourdough starters, came new comer to the Bread Baking Buddies, Amelia at Diary from the Last Frontier. Now I want you to look at her absolutely perfect boule.



Bet that tasted really good, right?! Well, you and Amelia will have to ask her ninja dog how it tasted because while Amelia was at work, her dog decided he was a big fan of the perfect boule of Dark Onion Rye too!

Another new comer to our Bread Baking Buddies, Jude at Apple Pie, Patis, & Pate took my recipe and not only came out with a fantastic looking boule but also put the recipe in a beautiful and professional looking layout.



When it comes time to write my cookbook on bread baking for the yeastphobe, I'm hiring Jude to be my recipe editor!

Judy over at Judy's Gross Eats came back as a Buddy this month and we are glad to have her back. Earlier in the month, Judy sadly lost her starters to the heat of the summer. Luckily, she was able to get a starter going and with a little coaxing was able to produce this lovely looking loaf!



Her starter was only eight days old when she made this bread showing even the youngest of starters can produce a really nice bread with good rise.

Finally, what would you do if you just got back from the jungles of Peru? Why you would do exactly what our oldest Bread Baking Buddy, Gretchen of Canela and Comino did! You'd hop right into your kitchen and make a hearty and tasty loaf of Dark Onion Rye bread.



Gretchen always does us proud with her bread and amazes every one of us Babes with her BBB breads, especially as she often can't find flours that those of us in the US and Europe can find easily.

Now that is a whole lotta rye bread! Thanks to everyone who joined us this month. We hope you had as much fun playing in the unusual world of Rye as we did.

If I missed you and you made the Dark Onion Rye in the past two weeks, please email with all the details and I'll make sure you get added to the round-up!

My blogging wife, Sara of I Like To Cook is going to be having all us Babes over this month to her lovely kitchen in Kamloops, BC. She has another interesting bread for us and I can tell you it is the type of bread you wouldn't normally think about baking!

So, if you would like to join us as a Bread Baking Buddy, keep an eye out on her blog in the upcoming week or two to find out what we are making and how to be a Buddy.