Slow food

The journey of sourdough bread Chez Mima takes 36 hours from the initial feeding of Sheila Dough-Matua (the mother, or starter culture) to coming out of the Dutch oven crisp and steaming. 

Then I spend another six days eating the loaf, during which time the sourness deepens and the texture becomes more dense. The final two or three slices are always wafer thin, then toasted fast to create something approaching crispbread. A good receptacle for some thin slices of the latest cheese*.

This evening there are two sourdough loaves rising in the fridge until tomorrow morning, when I'll take them out and bake them. 

This one contains mixed spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cardamon) which create a hot cross bun-like flavour in the finished bread. Lashings of butter on the hot bread make for the perfect breakfast. 

Incidentally I have tried adding sultanas too, but I prefer the lighter loaf that develops without the fruit.

The other loaf is an unflavoured wholewheat-white-spelt flour mix. It will be perfect to toast and then eat as marmite "soldiers" dipped into a soft boiled egg. Another perfect breakfast.

The first meal of the day is looking good for the coming week...

Simple pleasures to be savoured and enjoyed.


*=  Cheese is another classic slow food of course. And another obsession of mine.