Because we pay too much taxes to buy bread

I'm having to revert to making it myself. Well, this is the way I prefer my bread. I have to say, I can make some pretty darn good bread. So, to lift my spirits after a very disappointing Election Day 2008, I decided to try a new recipe from The Bread Bible (a book I checked out at our local library).

This is my first time making a bread that requires a sponge. Now, for all y'all non-bread baking folks, a sponge is just a fancy American term for fermenting flour, yeast, some form of sugar and water. This combination is allowed to sit and, yes, ferment into a bubbly, frothy science experiment. In all honesty, this concoction does begin to look like a beige sponge. A biga and poolish are the same thing. Just the Italian and French way, respectively, of saying 'sponge.' Makes it sound more high class, doesn't it?

After an allotted amount of fermenting time, the remaining flour and yeast are added right over top of the sponge. What is neat, even to the non-baking enthusiast (like my husband), is the chemical reaction that occurs in the layer where sponge meets fresh yeast. You can see it bubble, gurgle and pop. Even DJ was impressed.

After more fermentation time (overnight in the confines of the refrigerator), it was time to get down to kneading business. Lots of kneading business. Then waiting. (Note to readers: bread baking is not for those who want instant gratification. This is one of those exercises that enforces the fact that life is a zero-sum equation.)



After all is said and done, what you end up with are two very nice loaves of bread that has a fermenty, yeasty quality with great crust and crumb texture. More complex tasting than some of my more 'immediate gratification' (i.e. same day) breads.

Want to know how I mastered the pretty little slashes on top? Here's your tip: Use a clean straight razor. Works like a hot knife through butter (which is what topped my third piece of bread at lunch).