STIR THE POTS

Pavé 60/40

Paris micro baker Thierry Delabre makes a number of loaves, usually in the shape of something known as a "pavé" or cobblestone. It incorporates delicious ancient wheat and spelt varieties he's able to find. I've tried  making one of Delabre's infamous "Fanette," a signature loaf he  learned from Cucugan baker Roland Feuillas. And recently I tried making a 60/40 wheat and spelt pave-shaped loaf based on one of his Facebook posts.

I went about feeding my levain as he'd described for Fanette, specifically 50 percent hydrated. I made some fine specimens with 60 percent mix of wheat flours, whole wheat and high extraction,, as well as a 40 percent white spelt. With an overnight proof, I followed Thierry's marvelous video instruction he posted and was in for some nice loaves!

Bread baker, John Lennon

Today would have been John Lennnons 70th birthday and I was reminded that he wasn't only an incredible musician,activist, artist, etc., but a bread baker. His Playboy interview with David Scheff say's it all for me regarding bread. In an interview he even describes taking pictures of his first loaf, a true home baker!

Exerpt from Playboy interview with John Lennon (January 1981) by David Sheff:

LENNON: I've been baking bread and looking after the baby.

PLAYBOY: With what secret projects going on in the basement?

LENNON: That's like what everyone else who has asked me that question over the last few years says. "But what else have you been doing?" To which I say, "Are you kidding?" Because bread and babies, as every housewife knows, is a full-time job. After I made the loaves, I felt like I had conquered something. But as I watched the bread being eaten, I thought, Well, Jesus, don't I get a gold record or knighted or nothing?