Yeast, is a friend or foe, mortal enemy or just a quickie?

Just finishing up some uploads of my latest loaves, my leaven being a bit unresponsive. In fact, maybe it's the one responsible for this funk that started on returning from my extended vacation? Even after getting reacquainted with yeast at SFBI, it still feels awkward, since I barely ever use it! And perhaps my levain is getting  back at me for leaving it for almost three weeks in the cold chill in the back of my empty fridge. It isn't feeling good, this levain of mine.

Since my recent post, I endeavored to make another loaf with the re-fed and sickly looking sourdough. There is one currently proofing for a retard overnight. Got my fingers crossed. Tomorrow it moves from the chill of the fridge towards it sacrifice within the heat of my  oven. In-between, I'm waiting amid head scratching and desperation, fears of havoc that will wreak apart my  nurtured yeasty bacteria.

My latest loaf is fully leavened with commercial yeast. "Eeeegad!" you might exclaim, "the lazy baker is even lazier than we thought." The truth? This baker is no purist, nor do I judge others who indulge in baking with the stuff. There are so many ways to bake and things to bake. Flat breads? Crackers?  But honestly, I am still looking for that perfect loaf. Not an airy one, or a store bought baggy thing. No, I aim for a handmade bread, which will always be better then the alternatives. Even with yeast, just that  bit of leverage from those dried up granules, or maybe you will say it's even cheating, if you want to call it that, ok, but a loaf made by hand is an honest loaf, levain or no levain!

And for that matter this loaf looked okay. Potato bread, t's good enough for brekkie tomorrow with some eggs, jam or cheese. No telling where this leads me, pre-ferments, poolish, nah, not likely, I got sourdough in my genes, and really it tastes better!

Comments

[Jeremy]

Mick, taking a starter across the channel looks probably less conspicuous in your case, imagine a midnight express situation if I had powdered levain in my luggage!!!

Refreshed indeed, up your leg!

Jeremy

[mick]

I took my starter to France for two weeks and it came back refreshed.

[Jeremy]

Nils, yes it's just the purist in me who prefers a good levain bread opposed to the old trick,but I can relate, any bread made by hand and not bagged in plastic is sure to be good!

[Nils]

Not the worst thing if you can get your foe to work for you :-) Nice loaf!