Boron Elgar wrote

On 20 Jan 2006 00:03:12 -0800, "chembake" > wrote:



>>you're right, of course. I'm just not thinking straight these days. I've
>got to stay away from groups until I get myself straightened around.

>Janet your method is also legitimate and you were able to provide a
>valid reason for such technique....
>In fact I have used that system you mentioned occasionally ....



>I vary my technique according to the bread I am making, whether I am
>using yeast, sourdough, biga, poolish, etc, the hydration I am trying
>to achieve.

>Besides I like to provide excitement and entertainment for the bread
>fairies.

When I was a small kid watching my mom do the baking, I pull a chair
near the machine immediately climb on it and watch the machine
while running as I find it interesting to see how flour gradually
changes to the dough or batter....

>I confess that lately, I use no recipes at all for lean breads. I
>start something the night before with yeast & flour(s) or sourdough &
>flour(s) & in the morning toss in some water & whatever type or types
>of flour I want to play with that day. I have found it quite an
>interesting exercise.

Its good to know that you have come to that realization where recipes
become less important ....(incidentally few people have achieved that
insight ) .It echoes the saying ...that the more experienced you get in
cookery, everything comes spontaneously....Measurements lose its
meaning.....as you have already perfected your technique... What ever
you do intuitively now is the same as the being done logically in the
past.....

This is one of the reason ....that as you get more experience in what
you do in in particular kitchen work reading cookery books does not
give you any more knowledge....as you had already learned it by
heart....that details and particularities enunciated by cookery authors
become meaning less....

In fact in a some occasions I had seen some highly skilled bakers and
cooks throw their cookery and recipe books to the garbage bin or give
it to somebody else...

What is their point.. (some people ask them).for doing so ...? .they
said there is nothing more to learn there.. or it has become
useless.<grin>.


>I got teased by the lab guys at the place my husband works for once in
>awhile....they say I am now "in the zone" and he needs to beware.

You should be happy ....that you have reached that point ...in your
baking skill...Therefore your hubby should be proud of your
achievements...and .not to be worried about