Blooming marvellous

It is the aim of the sourdough baker to achieve a good bloom when the loaf bakes. In other words the loaf rises and the crust opens up where it has been cut immediately before going into the oven.

Despite having baked hundreds of sourdough loaves I still get a kick every time I see a well-bloomed crust. Like this one. 

And it tastes as good as it looks. I had two slices for lunch with slivers of Canadian Farmhouse cheese. Simple. Tasty. Food of the gods.

The day has been overcast and mizzly again. Sigh... 

The extra showing clouds and mist lying low in the valleys was taken on the way to the coo-shed to collect a churn of milk. 

The dairy farm is on the plateau up the hill from Chez M&B, and looks down on three river valleys: the Kakanui, the Waiareka, and the Waitaki.