Inspired by Julia on Julia I started cooking my way through a 300 recipe bread cookbook. Then came the problem of what to do with the extra bread. My roommate and I) can only eat so much bread. The an answer came during my morning walk. A few houses down is a family with 7 special needs kids, 7, I saw 5 of them waiting for the "short bus" a bus I am all to familiar with from my own youth.`Inspired again to possibly enrich someone life with the wonders of fresh baked bread, of which I seem to have a cornucopia due to my Bread Project, I got up the guts to go introduce myself with a bread offering.
During the first meeting the mother told me one of the kids was a celiac. I won't even pretend I had a clue what that was when she told me, just heard over the angry dogs that wanted to eat me that one child needed gluten-free bread, NO PROBLEM. I know how kids are and what fun wpould it be for one kid not to get the treat when all his brothers and sisters do. That would JUST SUCK. So I went about educating myself on Gluten-free bread. The first recipe I tried used Chickpea Flour and Sorghum, I was so excited because I had both. I thought it tasted horrible. YUCK, I took it around and people in the know thought it tasted right but that the texture was a lot off, maybe the bread was too dry, I showed them pictures of the bread in the machine, and the verdict was a LOT to dry, seems it is supposed to be more like Cream of Wheat and the machine just stirs it, not a bread ball that is kneeded, WHO KNEW? The books certainly do9n't make this clear, and I ended up with 3 gluten free books, two from the used book store, and my neighbor brought the book I had JUST ordered online with 200+ gluten free recipes in it. WOW how fortuitous.
So I went about reading and trying, and found that there is as much magic in making Gluten-free br2ead as regular bread, and gluten-free bread is more like a bread pudding than a bread, moist and chewy and needs refrigeration. WHO KNEW, everyone except me it seems. So I mad a couple attempts at making a perfect loaf of gluten free bread today, had a couple of fails, but the third time was a charm, and with the help of you wonderful readers, the people at the 2 Chico health food stores, and a baker at the Wild Oats bread shop I got it figured out. Dough is like milky cream of wheat, or even pudding, the machine mixes, doesn't kneed, the finished bread is flat topped not domed. The bread is moist,chewy and YUMMY, when made with Rice Flour or a blend and not the Chickpea-Sorghum I was using. It really does come out of the machine sorta like a bread pudding, and that is the right consistency. WHO KNEW. To say it is a bread is a stretch it really is more of a pudding. Had I known all this the first time, the bread still would have sucked! Chickpea Flour/Sorghum flour is definitely an acquired taste, much like eating wall paper paste is .... don't try it!
Ankd you the readers knew, and we had a lively conversation about the pitfalls of GF breads, and the wonders of them too. With all wheat going GMO, GF is looking more and more like the healthly choice. Mega Farm industry has not taken over the small speciality grains yet, and there are still non-GMO versions available.
Hey I am retired Army, I am all for capitalism, but I don't think mucking with God's perfection so yoou can patent it is good at all. WE HAVE NO CLUE WHAT OUR MODIFICATION ARE GOING TO DO TO US OR OUR ECO-SYSTEM, and we all know everything comes at a cost, how high will the cost of GMO-Wheat be. It will be a few generations before that is known I think, and then it will be too late! The guy that thought up "patenting" a user interface thereby indirectly creating the new disease, copra-tunnel, is suffering greatly for his lack of foresight and vision. Ain't Karma a bitch. I am sure the people that though up GMO Wheat will suffer too, and one day we will all be suffering the effects for that I am sure.
My hope is in the human bodies miraculous ability to heal itself from our own stupidity, and adapt and correct it systems. In 1985 I was given 3 to 6 months to live, after 3 more terminal illnesses and 27 years I am still around and no worse for the wear. The human body is a amazing bio-chemical machine and if we listen to it, and pay attention to it, it will always guide us right!
BACK TO BREAD PUDDING!
So, I finally this evening started my 3rd attempt. and I did one more Rice Flour bread. This one came out GREAT!
So this morning I awoke to the smells of Yogurt Bread baking as I headed out for my morning walk. I did what I call the upper loop,walked 2.55 miles with an average speed of 3.4 miles and hour, and a top speed of 5 miles and hour. The elevation change was all of 5 feet on the lloop. I* enjoy my morning walks I listen to music and practice silencing my mind, sometimes if I can't quiet my mind I do a creative visualization taught to me at UCSF. I pump and visualize walking in a redwood forrest.
When I got home the Yogurt Bread was done, I took the loaf out and it was wonderful.
Yogurt Bread
3/4 cup water
1 cup plain yogourt
3.5 cups bread flour
1 tablespooon gluten
2 teaspoons salt
2.5 teaspoons bread machine yeast.
This makes a light and wonderful tasting loaf. Just through all of it in the machine, set the machine to basic, 1.5 pound loaf, and medium crust, manage the dough ball the first 5 minutes to make sure all the flour is adding, and add a tablespoon of water should it need it. I used it for break Chicken Nests, eggs friend inside holes in the center of the bread, salted and peppered and wonderfully yummy!
Last night I made a Rice Bread from the book my neighbor gave me.
Rice Bread
3 cups Rice Flour Mix
2 1/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1 1/2 Tapioca Flour
3/4 teaspoon Egg Replacer
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dry milk powder
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
Sift all of that together except the yeast.
Wet ingredients (Goes in first)
3 tablespoons honey
1.5 Tablespoon Molasses
1 egg plus 2 whites
4 1/4 Butter melted and cooled
3/4 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinager
1 1/2 cup water
I wisked the whites to foaming stiff peaks, in my Kitchen Aid, then mixed in the other wet ingredients, and dumped the whole thing into the machine with the non-collapsible paddle. I have learned the the machine doesn't kneed the dough it just stirs it, so the straight paddle is fine. It should look like a thick Milk Based Cream of Wheat mixing in the machine, not a dough ball. Add the dry ingredients and hit start. You might have tio add a little water to get the right creamy texture.
Now when the loaf cooks it will be a flat topped loaf, that is normal, and a good thing! When this bread came out I tried it and LOVED it, I could go gluten free with this bread a a staple, I am excited to try others in the new book now.
PAUL SICK, Special Treat!
My roommate and home care attendant has been sick all week with a flu, puking his brains out. So last night I made him some belgium waffles that I snuck a little ginger root into to help his stomach. I do a yeast based belgium waffle that takes a couple of hours to make but is WORTH the investment in time. Will write up the recipe in tomorrow Diary!
Go Non-GMO, I found non-GMO bread flour cheaper than the stuff at "Safeway" in Bulk at the health food store! Shop the LOCALS not the chains!