Baking bread can be a fairly simple process. Once you've finally been able to establish the "do's and don'ts," it's kind of like riding a bike; just fined your stride, make and bake it. There are times, though, when I don't want to sit down and consider recipes or formulas. In those moments, I'll go to my friends and fellow bloggers for inspiration, borrowing and adapting along the way. For now, I'm just not as Excel-savvy as, say Susan or Shuna, who are much more organized. Help! 

Anyway, often I will find a formula from another baker, and in my own way screw it up or just hit it, spot-on as the expression goes. This was the case recently  with one particular baker, Hans Joakim, a blogger on The Fresh Loaf. Not only has he got a nimble hand with bread, but Hans is a true pastry man.

I always check often on what he's been baking, imagining putting my hand to one of his delectable and crusty breads. Rye is his primary ferment, but he will often mix it (or wheat) with some seeds, nuts, and other add-ins. Last week I made one of his breads with oat, raisin, and pumpkin seed starter. Once I followed his excellent written and organized formulas, I knew I could count on making more of his wonderful breads.