I didn’t know what a real oven looked like until about the eighth grade. Well, at least I thought I didn’t. That area under the stove with wire racks and a heavy door was a cabinet. The pots and pans were stored there. It’s actually a pretty nifty idea if you lack major storage space (ie. Manhattan). I found out recently it’s actually pretty common amongst Koreans. Makes sense because Korean cooking rarely requires an oven.
Until the age of 14, I did most of my baking in a toaster oven. It works fine and dandy. You just have some size constraints and possibly a few more batches to bake, but in the end, it all turns out the same. While I’m here, I actually prefer to use the toaster oven because then I don’t have to hassle with moving dozens of pans in and out. It’s also nice when you bake mini pastries because it feels like you’re wasting less energy (and possibly saving a little on your bills!).
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November 03 2009 | bread and fruit and recipe and thoughts | 10 Comments »
No knead bread is really fantastic because it’s easy. There aren’t very many special skills involved. As long as you know how to measure ingredients and mix them together you’re set to go. If there is one secret ingredient here it would be patience. According to the famous bible of no knead baking, you only need five minutes a day to make great bread. It’s true but also a little misguided at the same time. It’s true because it really does only takes a few minutes to work the ingredients but what about all that waiting time? First, there’s the two hour wait for the initial rise, then 40 minutes for the second rise, and then 35 minutes in the oven. Even if you make the dough ahead of time, you have to wait a few hours before breaking of a nice, warm piece of rustic bread. I mean, when you wake up in the morning or come home from a long day do you really want to wait two hours for something to eat?! Well, it was actually worth it. After all, the whole loaf was gone by the end of the day. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m not great with the patience skill.
The olive bread was perfect. It had a firm, crunchy crust and a soft, moist interior. The saltiness and texture of the olives really provided another depth to the bread. I’ve made other variations with cheese and honey, but I have to say, so far, this one with olives has been the best.
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August 24 2009 | bread and recipe and thoughts | 9 Comments »
