Thursday, March 15, 2018

Honey Oat Wheat

First test batch of the last Field Lab Solar Oven bread offering to go into production...Honey Oat Wheat. Needs a little more "spring". Second test batch prepped for baking tomorrow. Not only do I have to get the taste, texture, and look just right - but I also have to tweak the recipes for each batch to fit "X" amount of one quart dutch ovens. I probably would have done better in high school chemistry had they included bread baking. The ancient tradition of bread depends on a cascade of complex chemical reactions.  70,79,50,0,B  

8 comments:

David Johnson said...

That's some good looking bread. Bet it will make a great sandwich.

Margery Billd said...

Yes, and what are you doing with all of this bread you are baking?

Ronald Mahan said...

John has been making me very hungry - with all that yummy looking bread he has been baking. But he lives too far from my home - 1350 miles one way - to just drive there to buy some Chupa bread. So I am making some of my own bread in my wive's perfectly good electric oven. I don't own a solar oven & we don't get much sunshine in the winter in northern Alabama.

Like John - I named my bread for the animal that always wants to follow me. In my case that animal is a 100 pound hunting black Lab - named Magic.. My Magic bread has the special added ingredients of - Prosciutto Pork & Provolone Cheese.
I chose that combination because John Wells spoke so highly of the Prosciutto bread he used to purchase in New York City.

Right now - I have two loaves of this Magic bread under cover - undergoing the last bread rising step - before I put the two loves in the oven. I will report tomorrow - on how my Magic bread turned out!

remmij said...

HOW makes for a good looking loaf - joining WHITEY & CHUPARONI… hope to see a dark rye someday – maybe a special occasion cornbread…
are you using steam in the oven? toasting the oat topping? You are entering the baking zone.

remmij said...

this will probably irritate you, but given the 17th is imminent – a soda bread w/Irish-Okie commercialism

Ronald Mahan said...

Hey Remmij - To answer your questions: My Magic Bread is based on a Jewish Challah bread recipe. Only, I added the chopped up Prosciutto & Provolone cheese. And, , I did not make the traditional braided loaf. I used that bread recipe - because I simply like the taste of Challah bread. And no, I am not Jewish - but I am of the Lutheran faith. And yes ,I used a small pan of water in the oven to generate steam during the baking.

And the bread turned out great and is very rich tasting with the combination of eggs, pork, and cheese! Almost like eating a bread sandwich with Prosciutto & Provolone & eggs! One big slice of this Magic Bread & a glass of milk - makes a complete meal When I try this again I need to increase the volume of cheese used - to the same volume as the prosciutto - to bring out the cheese flavor.

John Wells said...

Cooking with steam in a solar oven is counter productive. Condensation on the glass top will lower the amount of sunlight entering the oven and lower the temperature. Baking the loaves in a covered dutch oven for part of the time is the same as adding steam to the oven. The oat topping is not toasted because the loaf is already dark and the untoasted oats add more contrast to the bread.

leilani said...

Almost too pretty to eat! Those small Dutch ovens really do seem to be key for turning out professional-looking loaves. Checked at my local BB&B yesterday & they had some tiny ones, but not the quart size, so I guess I'll be ordering from Amazon. You really do need to become an affiliate so you can get a commission, you know.

Where will you be selling your loaves? Is there a local farmer's market or will customers have to drive way the heck out in the middle of nowhere to pick 'em up?

Hey, maybe you could drone-drop them over at Marfa's Farm Stand tomorrow with an honor jar customers could tuck their cash into before you called the Mavic back to TFL for the day. ;-)