In keeping with the idiom, "everything old is new again", there's been a strong resurgence in the popularity of including sprouts and whole grains in our food, as more and more come to embrace the fad that is "clean eating". Once limited to the salad bowls of free spirits embracing an alternative lifestyle, these sprouts and grains are now a common sight on tables at some of the world's best restaurants and bakeries, and are being given a big push by those bestowing the virtues of grains and ferments towards the betterment of human health. But what (at least in the context of breadmaking) do we mean when we talk about soakers, sprouts and porridges; and are the nutritional benefits really as impressive as we're led to believe?...
Read MoreSeptember Nosh
A short summary of what's been happening at Keeler & Spon and this month, it's all about the bread...
Read MoreBread basics: Flour
As a follow-up to one of my earlier posts discussing the role of autolysis in bread making, I thought it would be worthwhile to go through the various components of flour (specifically, wheat flour), and identify how each impacts the functionality of this ingredient fundamental to the process of baking bread...
Read MoreBread basics: Autolyse
For this week's "I really should know more about…" mini research project, I'll be taking a somewhat in-depth look at a breadmaking technique that's enjoying a bit of a revival in the world of sourdough baking - the autolyse...
Read MoreChemical leavenings: baking powder vs. soda
After many persistent years I have resigned myself to the fact that there are some things, like wine names, that my brain is fundamentally incapable of remembering. But then there are those things I really ought to know. That go in and rattle around, but rather than getting filed somewhere useful they just mull about in some kind of vague, peripheral haze. Take, for example, chemical leavenings...
Read MoreThe golden thread
Saffron is among the world’s most costly and revered substances, with origins surrounded in fantasy and mystique—quite an achievement for a little plant that rises no more than twelve inches above the ground. Long associated with decadence and extravagance, saffron has often been a colourful means by which to flaunt one’s social standing. However, saffron’s expense is not just a testament to its unique colour and flavour...
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