Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Sour Dough Whole Wheat Recipe From Wild Yeast captured from Grapes & Bacteria in Dirt that makes you happy!


 
Butternut Squash nestled in straw
Butternut Squash nestled in straw 
There is a reward for going green and gardening. Gardening just makes you feel better.  This morning when I stepped out into the garden I thought: "The smell of the garden in the morning smells like vacation".  And now researchers have found that dirt contains a bacteria that makes you happy.  It is Mycobacterium vaccae. That must be why in the spring gardeners can hardly wait to get their fingers in the dirt.  I admit my fingers are gloved.  But, I can still inhale the fragrance of fresh earth.  You can check out this link for the whole story.  It is amazing! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6509781.stm

I grew Butternut, spaghetti and delicata squash in my garden.  I grow them in rock sided raised garden beds.  They look good even in winter.  I add lots of compost in the fall and spring and straw after planting.  Also it is important to rotate where you put your plants each year.  

 THE CONTINUING SAGA OF THE WILD CAPTURED GRAPE YEAST

 

[caption id="attachment_90" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Results of Captured Yeast Day 8"]Results of Captured Yeast Day 8[/caption]

Last week  I talked about our grape harvest and how I decided to try to capture wild bread yeast off my grapes.  I found the recipe at  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Wild-Grape-Starter/Detail.aspx?src=rss.  Basically after 3 days you start keeping 1 cup of starter, adding 1 cup of water and 1 cup of flour.  The yeast which is a fungi (like mushrooms) eats the carbs and makes carbon dioxide and alcohol as byproducts.  Each day you keep a cup of starter, add a cup of water and a cup of flour.   The yeast gets stronger and able to rise a batch of bread.  Today was day 8  and I decided to make my First Loaf of Sour Dough Whole Wheat  Bread!  It is good.  Right now my husband is sitting with his slice of bread and butter and honey......His first words were: "Man this is good!"  Here is what I did:

 In the large bowl of my Mixer with the dough hook attached I added: 1.5 cups of starter & 1.5 cups of warm water. Next I added 2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour, 2 Tablespoons of Oil, 1 Tablespoon of Sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt.   Mix well. Then add enough unbleached flour to make a dough.  Run the mixer (or knead) until firm and no longer sticky.  Add a tablespoon of oil to a large bowl and coat the dough.  I let the dough rise in an oven warmed by a pan of heated water.I let it rise about 2 hours.  Flipping it over a couple of times.  I then shaped the loaf and placed in on a sheet of parchment paper layed on a cookie sheet.  I let the dough rise again for about 3 hours.  It didn't look like it had risen very much.  But, it was time to bake. (The test:  bread remained indented when I lightly pressed it with my finger)  I heated a baking stone at 400 degrees.  I slid the bread including the parchment paper onto the stone and baked it until done, about 40 to 45 minutes.    I have a quick read thermometer and tested the bread at almost 200 degrees.  After I took it out of the oven, with a pastry brush I added a little butter. 

What should we name our Captured Wild Grape Yeast?  Your comments please!

 The Healthy Whole Grain Challenge


A few days ago I read in the Rapid City Journal that South Dakota has "The Healthy Whole Grain Challenge" You can register at:   http://www.healthysd.gov/You will be provided with a whole grain cookbook, a measuring spoon and a packet of whole grain cereal as an incentive for joining the challenge.  The Challenge runs from September 15 to October 15.  I have signed up!




3 comments:

  1. Reading your blog makes me happy!
    Love it :-)
    Pam

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Gloria,
    Like your blog - you're a great writer!
    Larry

    ReplyDelete
  3. That bread looks yummy! I can't think of a name for your sourdough right now. Oh, how about "Sour Grapes"?

    ReplyDelete