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I was a baker one summer 20 years ago and I made 40 - 100 loaves every day by hand. No big Hobart mixer, no helpers, just me and 3 commercial ovens.
Sorry folks, but bread machines make inferior bread. They can be handy for having some quick fresh bread ready without any effort first thing in the morning with the timer or for making something like pizza dough, but for any bread you want that actually has the qualities of good bread, forget it.
Even the worst bread when fresh out of the oven with some butter melting on it is going to be somewhat mouth-watering, but my test for good bread is the taste and texture once it's cooled down and without anything on it. Truly good bread will have a delicious flavour without a spread of butter and for quite some time after being baked. The crust will be baked crusty and the crumb will be chewy and substantial. A bread machine simply can't do this.
Longer risings are the key to developing flavour and texture in the dough. Multi-day risings, especially the levain style that has become common from the "artisan" style bakeries that have proliferated in last decade or so really enhance the flavour of the grain. Even single day bread, using a sponge method will help this. Again, a bread machine can't accomplish this.
My favourite bakeries in the Vancouver area are Terra Breads and Ecco il Pane. Both have grown into quite large businesses, so I'm expecting the quality to dive sometime soon, but so far they've maintained it. They still hand-form all loaves and an actual baker loads and watches the ovens. All Terra Breads are levain sourdough, except for their French white.
I've heard good things about Artisan Bakery in North Van. I know a young woman who works there and she is passionate about her job. I've also heard that Patisserie Lebeau makes some good bread, but I haven't been for a visit yet.
One of my favourite breads that I make is a Kalamata Olive loaf. I also like Walnut breads. The dough takes on a purple hue from the walnuts.
I start the dough on a Tuesday for Saturday baking. This gives the dough several days to slowly rise, with barely any yeast and develop flavour.
My oven just can't maintain the temps required to do a really good loaf, I usually like to bake around 450 F to get a good crust. I put a pan of water in the bottom during the initial oven spring and spray the oven with water during the first few minutes to create steam that makes the traditional crusty crust. Commercial bakeries have bread ovens with integrated steam jets.
Since I like a crusty loaf, I don't use bread pans, all my loaves are usually round or batard (torpedo) shape. I have some baguette pans now which is fun. I get a lot of pot luck dinner invites.
Sorry folks, but bread machines make inferior bread. They can be handy for having some quick fresh bread ready without any effort first thing in the morning with the timer or for making something like pizza dough, but for any bread you want that actually has the qualities of good bread, forget it.
Even the worst bread when fresh out of the oven with some butter melting on it is going to be somewhat mouth-watering, but my test for good bread is the taste and texture once it's cooled down and without anything on it. Truly good bread will have a delicious flavour without a spread of butter and for quite some time after being baked. The crust will be baked crusty and the crumb will be chewy and substantial. A bread machine simply can't do this.
Longer risings are the key to developing flavour and texture in the dough. Multi-day risings, especially the levain style that has become common from the "artisan" style bakeries that have proliferated in last decade or so really enhance the flavour of the grain. Even single day bread, using a sponge method will help this. Again, a bread machine can't accomplish this.
My favourite bakeries in the Vancouver area are Terra Breads and Ecco il Pane. Both have grown into quite large businesses, so I'm expecting the quality to dive sometime soon, but so far they've maintained it. They still hand-form all loaves and an actual baker loads and watches the ovens. All Terra Breads are levain sourdough, except for their French white.
I've heard good things about Artisan Bakery in North Van. I know a young woman who works there and she is passionate about her job. I've also heard that Patisserie Lebeau makes some good bread, but I haven't been for a visit yet.
One of my favourite breads that I make is a Kalamata Olive loaf. I also like Walnut breads. The dough takes on a purple hue from the walnuts.
I start the dough on a Tuesday for Saturday baking. This gives the dough several days to slowly rise, with barely any yeast and develop flavour.
My oven just can't maintain the temps required to do a really good loaf, I usually like to bake around 450 F to get a good crust. I put a pan of water in the bottom during the initial oven spring and spray the oven with water during the first few minutes to create steam that makes the traditional crusty crust. Commercial bakeries have bread ovens with integrated steam jets.
Since I like a crusty loaf, I don't use bread pans, all my loaves are usually round or batard (torpedo) shape. I have some baguette pans now which is fun. I get a lot of pot luck dinner invites.
