La Brea's French Baguette
I couln’t believe it but I found some La Brea Bakery bread in a Hilo store! Not only that , but I found some San Francisco Sourdough bread as well from Raymond’s Bakery. So I bought them and brought them home to see how they compared ( In the last post there was a a contest for a free sourdough. The fourth responder, Patty, is the winner of the Hawaiian Sourdough Starter, please email me with your contact info Patty).
When I got home, I popped the La Brea French Baguette into the oven to crisp. I served it with a salad and pasta dish. The baguette was beautiful, it had a terrific crust and very pretty slashes all down the crust. It weighed 10.5 ounces. I cut the loaf into several chunks and we had them with lots of butter. The interior was holey and light, a very nice crumb.
Baguette Crumb
I have to admit though, that I taste the commercial yeast flavor in the bread and was just a bit disappointed. I wish I could call Nancy and tell her to cut back to the barest pinch of commercial yeast, as it is coming through a bit strong. It is probably my fault. I am pretty much a sourdough purist (It is very rare that I use any commercial yeast) and I can taste the commercial yeast in sourdough when other people can’t seem to. The ingredients listed are:
Unbleached Flour, water, sour culture, salt, yeast, semolina and some vitamins.
Just a tad too much commercial yeast
All around the baguette was a pretty good loaf, I especially liked the crust.
For the Raymond’s Sourdough bread, I popped it into the oven for ten minutes and served it for lunch the next day.
Raymond's Sourdough Bread
The crust looked beautiful even before I crisped it in the oven:
Bread before crisping
Hot and crispy
Raymond Sourdough crumb
Hi Teresa,
Thanks for the Hawaiian Sourdough Starter! I feel bad, though, since I won the macadamia nuts (which went into my “Meteoric Pina Colada Macadamia Nut Bars” for a cookie potluck at church!). Given that info, I’d be happy if you want to pick another winner. If not, my address is: deleted(I got your address Patty).
Thanks again…
Patty
Hi Patty,you are just a winning kind of lady. I am happy to send you the Hawaiian starter. I will send out your starter out next week. Enjoy! Teresa
Great site! I’ve been experimenting with bread baking a lot in the last few weeks and can’t seem to get enough of it. Then I ran across your blog and saw that you were able to move to da Big Island! Yay!
I used to live in Hilo on Ohia St. and also in the jungle around Kalapana some 30 years ago, but moved back to Bakersfield CA to start a family and a career in live musical theatre (in Bakersfield, no less!). Owned two dinner theatres and two family theatres in that time and wrote over forty shows. I guess working in the papaya fields just wasn’t my idea of a lifelong career…
I was also wondering how you like the Big Island, and how your macadamia adventure has turned out. We always met the greatest people and as an unrepentant haole hippie at heart, I always liked the communal nature of meals with my friends and neighbors there.
I’m sure some things have changed since then, but I’ll bet not nearly as quickly (or as negatively) as things seemed to have gone in the rest of the country (although there are fewer giant cane spiders and flying cucaraches in Bakersfield than Hilo).
I’m seriously considering moving back to Hilo or Pahoa and living in a thirty foot diameter yurt . There’s actually a yurt company right in Hilo, but I’ve taught myself how to make one as well. I’ve also learned a lot of ways to go off-grid and there seems no shortage of rainwater for house and garden…heh heh heh. Some days I looked for Noah’s ark. My first trip to the Kona side was a revelation.
Since I’m not overly fond of hot kitchens, I’ve taught myself how to make my own clay and chopped straw bread ovens for the backyard, which are small and can be built in a day or two with very little expense, so I’m sure I’ll build a few when I get to the Big Island. In any case, feel free to drop me a line and give me your honest assessment of life in Paradise these days. Aloha, and thanks for a very pleasant blog. All the best to you and your family.
Dave
You don’t know me, but I enjoyed your blog, so much this morning when I was researching sour dough. I hope you don’t mind, but I posted your blog on my blog. You are one talented baker. I will be making some of your recipes as soon as my sourdough starter is ready. I am originally from Alaska and was raised on sourdough!
Thank you for taking me back to some special memories. Love your pic’s.
Blessings, Linda
Hi Dave, since I don’t know what Hawaii was like before I came three months ago, I can’t let you know if it has changed or is better or worse. It does take some getting used to. Being warm all of the time was foreign to me, but it sure feels great. I once lived in a situation where we had no water or electricity for three years so I understand remote living, but it still has it’s challenges. I do like how kick back people are about many things. You can get away with just about anything without even raising eyebrows. I love the diversity of cultures here. There are some negagtives as well, but they would be different for each person, except maybe how incredibly HIGH the food prices….all prices …are. It makes sense to bake your own bread here! Most of all the incredible beauty of Hawaii is really unbelievable, I often feel like I am living in a fairy story (or maybe a jungle story). You would have to tour the island to see how many various types of climate there is. Desertd and mountains, with snow! Lava beds, jungle, grasslands, beaches, etc. In a six hour drive around the island you will see all of them. The best to you and your family as well, Teresa
Hi Linda, thankyou for your kind words. I am happy for you to link to my blog, post again and leave us the link to your blog as well. Happy baking, Teresa
My blog is http://www.prairieflowerfarm. blogspot. com. If you click on Linda where I left a comment it should take you to my blog. Your blog is very beautiful, I will enjoy coming back and spending more time.
Blessings, Linda
I believe Nancy Silverton has sold La Brea Bread which is why it probably tastes of commercial yeast..
Hi Betty, that would explain the loss of flavor. I noticed it last year when I bought some La Brea bread while I was in California, but I hesitated to mention it, as I was disappointed and hoped it was a temporary glitch.. Thanks Betty, Teresa