For thousands of years, Jewish families have baked challah, the iconic braided bread that graces Sabbath tables worldwide. While many know it for its glossy crust and soft interior, its origins trace back to biblical times as a divine gift of sustenance. In this guest post from Eric Pallant, we explore how a simple portion of dough became one of Judaism’s most enduring traditions.
Read the full article here.
By Eric Pallant
I admit that I am envious of bakers who make their loaves using fresh, locally raised grains. It sounds like the ideal—for flavor, for community, for the environment. But I am also a little skeptical. Is local flour really any better than flour made with grain from far away? What are my options if I want heirloom wheat or ancient grains to bake with and they aren’t grown anywhere near me? What if I want to buy organic grains but my local farmers say that organic certification is not worth the cost? Should I just trust their practices because I like them? Is it even worth the extra cost to pay for local or organic?
Read more at The Perfect Loaf.
Sourdough lemon poppyseed cake.
Rebecca Firsker published this recipe for a sourdough discard cake in a recent posting to The Perfect Loaf. My version of the cake was denser and chewier than what I’m used to for a lemon poppyseed cake, but it was oh, so-lemony. It lasted a day-and-a-half.
Deep Fried Whole Wheat Poori with Cumin
I was making a vegan red lentil almond dal the other night. Usually, when I make dal, I also prepare some sourdough naan to go with it, but, just to change things up, I revived this old recipe from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.
Here is a quick summary of their recipe.
2 cups atta flour (sifted whole wheat, but I just used freshly milled whole wheat flour)
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 tsp black pepoper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 Tablespoon veg oil or ghee
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, or more as necessary
Oil for deep frying
This is a longform article about the geography, history, culture, and value of bread in Morocco. It can be found at The Perfect Loaf.
The coincidence of the article’s release and the devastating earthquake is horrible. If you feel moved to make a contribution, I strongly encourage you to visit The High Atlas Foundation. I have worked with HAF for many years and can vouch for their commitment to sustainable development, women’s empowerment, and reforestation. No one knows the communities hardest hit better than HAF does.
The composition and decomposition of a sourdough culture, my latest essay, is available at The Perfect Loaf.
Maurizio Leo, one of the greatest sourdough recipe makers of our generation, and founder of The Perfect Loaf, has invited me to make regular contributions to his website.
Here is my first.
