Comments on Farine: Pan Bigio

Hi, Gardiner, I googled "high altitude baking with...

2010-02-28T14:39:10.530-05:00

Hi, Gardiner, I googled "high altitude baking with yeast" and happened upon this website: http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/brody/baking.html. Maybe it will answer some of your questions. As to what you might not be doing right, it is hard to say from a distance. Have you encountered the same problem with other recipes?

I have made Field's recipe very carefully several ...

2010-02-28T12:44:27.019-05:00

I have made Field's recipe very carefully several times and it always stays flat and doesn't rise in the oven. Also there are no large holes. I live at about 3000 ft altitude. Is this a cause? Or what am I not doing right?

Hi, Anonymous, and thanks for your visit. Of cours...

2010-01-24T07:42:10.271-05:00

Hi, Anonymous, and thanks for your visit. Of course, you are right, a biga isn't a biga if you don't use commercial yeast. I like to use wild yeast whenever possible however, not only because it is always available to me but because I do believe in its nutritional benefits and I am hooked on its aromas.

biga, as i'm sure you know, is a generic italian w...

2010-01-23T23:24:17.108-05:00

biga, as i'm sure you know, is a generic italian word for any kind of pre-ferment, but most often it implies the use of commercial yeast. the fields recipe will not produce a significantly different flavour if using sourdough -- the intended use of a biga, for fields' purpose, is to produce the characteristic malty, acetic tones that mark good italian bread. this flavour profile is only possible with a commercially-yeasted biga, and is one of the reasons most bakers so completely miss the boat on nailing ciabatta's taste.

I am so impressed by what you produce in your kitc...

2009-07-20T18:34:48.489-04:00

I am so impressed by what you produce in your kitchen! Holes!

Thank you all for stopping by and leaving such kin...

2009-07-14T18:23:02.489-04:00

Thank you all for stopping by and leaving such kind comments! John, I was just hoping that I wouldn't get a huge rip. I think the hydration rate is what makes the difference.

Welcome home, MC, You always come up with the most...

2009-07-10T11:40:38.339-04:00

Welcome home, MC,
You always come up with the most interesting breads! For a free-form, you got nice round loaves - and no scoring! With such a nice ovenspring, don't you risk a breakout w/o a score?
john

What a amazing crumb! I love bread with holes!

2009-07-10T11:04:29.364-04:00

What a amazing crumb! I love bread with holes!

Look at that beautiful crumb, the holes are magnif...

2009-07-10T09:59:14.177-04:00

Look at that beautiful crumb, the holes are magnificent! I wish I had a slice to dip into some fruity olive oil, right now, at 10:00 am! Gorgeous job!

Welcome back, MC! Don't you love how dough underst...

2009-07-09T23:45:05.074-04:00

Welcome back, MC! Don't you love how dough understands how it's supposed to act? Beautiful, as always.

Hi, Suzanne, thanks for stopping by! The bread was...

2009-07-09T07:53:07.351-04:00

Hi, Suzanne, thanks for stopping by! The bread was indeed very good and fun to make.
Hi, Jeremy, although I have eaten and still eat my share of delicious yeasted breads, I too always favor levain! Yes, I am back :-).

Lovely! I always want to convert all those formula...

2009-07-08T07:58:05.472-04:00

Lovely! I always want to convert all those formulas to sourdough, yeast is so boring!

Are you back?

What a gorgeous bread! Look at those big, soft hol...

2009-07-06T23:44:12.332-04:00

What a gorgeous bread! Look at those big, soft holes. Looks delicious.