So delighted to be reading your fabulous words again Will - I’ve a few weeks of your work to catch up on, and can’t wait to settle down and read it all!
Just a thought - If ever you have a glut of produce you’ve made, that you feel may be more than you’ll use, (yes I know that’ll never happen), but if it ever did, maybe you could think about selling it?! I’d like to put my name down for one of everything please!!
I’m still not a fan of calling the little artichokes ‘baby artichokes’ because they are mature – just smaller versions of the top flowers harvested earlier. To me, carciofini is a fantastic name, and I don’t think you need to be Italian to use it – sort of like kindergarten is German, but you don’t need to be German to refer to it. Having said that, I really like the treatment you give them. It sounds fabulous!
The bread looks (and sounds – if words can speak) wonderful and delicious.
When you ‘pour’ it onto the bench it will immediately look like a disaster. Work it. Lift it and fold for a minimum of ten minutes. This is the old French way. It will change. After that first ten minutes then rest it in a floured bowl then coax it out gently and on a lightly floured table and fold again then rest. At this point there will be pretty much zero stickiness. It will behave like a low hydration dough.
Having spent yesterday wrangling only 75% hydrated sourdough, and still wishing for supplemental flour, I’m both awed and inspired by your fight with 90%!
The flowering thyme between the cracks... thanks for calling me back to the peaceful little things. Also, love the bit about 90% hydration being "generally bothersome"... you must be quite a patient man for such a forgiving description--sounds like the breezy country summer is treating you well. Cheers!
You always make cooking sound so sexy! I have never cooked an artichoke or mussels, both of which I enjoy eating, nor have I baked bread, and besides I don’t think my hands would manage all that kneading. Our love of sourdough has surpassed that of Supermarket bread which was once our staple. Thank you for another enjoyable read and welcome back.
So delighted to be reading your fabulous words again Will - I’ve a few weeks of your work to catch up on, and can’t wait to settle down and read it all!
Just a thought - If ever you have a glut of produce you’ve made, that you feel may be more than you’ll use, (yes I know that’ll never happen), but if it ever did, maybe you could think about selling it?! I’d like to put my name down for one of everything please!!
Missed you!
Oh thank you. Life ran away with me last week…
Believe me. I understand. It has a way of chaos at times.
I’m still not a fan of calling the little artichokes ‘baby artichokes’ because they are mature – just smaller versions of the top flowers harvested earlier. To me, carciofini is a fantastic name, and I don’t think you need to be Italian to use it – sort of like kindergarten is German, but you don’t need to be German to refer to it. Having said that, I really like the treatment you give them. It sounds fabulous!
The bread looks (and sounds – if words can speak) wonderful and delicious.
Well done, Chef – a delightful read!
Thank you Jack… and by the way, I’m in the middle of pulling grissini with the fingertip technique… much neater than a straight pull.
Awesome…well-done, Chef!
I got quite lost in the task for a while. Thank you .
You're so elite. Check out that bread
And he's back, with avengeance!
Just my favourite substack of any week. Evocative , informative and poetic . What more can we ask for ?
Will this bread looks heavenly!! I am yet to attempt 90% hydration but you are tempting me..
When you ‘pour’ it onto the bench it will immediately look like a disaster. Work it. Lift it and fold for a minimum of ten minutes. This is the old French way. It will change. After that first ten minutes then rest it in a floured bowl then coax it out gently and on a lightly floured table and fold again then rest. At this point there will be pretty much zero stickiness. It will behave like a low hydration dough.
Try it.
thank you!! when you fold and shape, do you do one round or two?
Do you mean pre shape then shape ? Yes that would be two for me.
Yes! Perfect, thanks for the tips Will
....and I'm drooling again...
Having spent yesterday wrangling only 75% hydrated sourdough, and still wishing for supplemental flour, I’m both awed and inspired by your fight with 90%!
I’m happy to share the specifics if you’d like. It’s a game changer.
If you have something off the shelf, I would love to read through it — even this post itself was enlightening for me, not having any formal training.
I’ll come back to you.
Mackerel. I knew I liked you.
This sensory immersion is a perfect way to kick off the week. Such detail!
The flowering thyme between the cracks... thanks for calling me back to the peaceful little things. Also, love the bit about 90% hydration being "generally bothersome"... you must be quite a patient man for such a forgiving description--sounds like the breezy country summer is treating you well. Cheers!
You always make cooking sound so sexy! I have never cooked an artichoke or mussels, both of which I enjoy eating, nor have I baked bread, and besides I don’t think my hands would manage all that kneading. Our love of sourdough has surpassed that of Supermarket bread which was once our staple. Thank you for another enjoyable read and welcome back.
Thank you Your writing is as beautiful as your cooking it makes me want to live on an organic farm 😍
Oh you had me at artichokes! And this is the third haul eh?! Nice!