tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post3523086662248165648..comments2024-03-28T18:57:20.920+01:00Comments on Living the life in Saint-Aignan: Baking baguettes in AmericaKen Broadhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-33464313937633301022007-11-25T11:29:00.000+01:002007-11-25T11:29:00.000+01:00I follow this debate with interest....I live in Lo...I follow this debate with interest....<BR/><BR/>I live in London but will soon be moving to France, and while I am in London I miss my daily baguette. Of course, of the two bakeries in town, one does better baguettes than the other, but their patisserie just isn't as decadent.<BR/><BR/>You can buy baguettes in London, but they just aren't right. The exception is a really good local bakers, run by a young French couple. Their secret? They use French flour. I believe the difference is that the French flour is harder, and it isnt pulverised the same way. (I am willing to be corrected on this, however).<BR/><BR/>Welcome back to France, KenSusanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-42832761136797777872007-11-25T08:45:00.000+01:002007-11-25T08:45:00.000+01:00Evelyn, I agree about cornbread. I don't want suga...Evelyn, I agree about cornbread. I don't want sugar in the batter. The corn is already sweet enough.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-86328577862379867162007-11-25T05:31:00.000+01:002007-11-25T05:31:00.000+01:00If you live in France there's no need to ever make...If you live in France there's no need to ever make a baguette.<BR/><BR/> Since I live in a small town with no bakery for French bread, I make my own bread, but it's nothing like real french bread. The texture isn't right, but it is good for tartines when toasted and it's better than store bought stuff.<BR/><BR/>I have no idea why Julia added the sugar to her recipe. I started out with that one, but it was a lot of trouble to make it.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of sugar, we don't put it in cornbread here in the South whereas it is often used up North. I have no idea why that is, but know it's so. Sweet cornbread doesn't taste right to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-45845568106004486872007-11-24T22:54:00.000+01:002007-11-24T22:54:00.000+01:00You know what a lousy cook I am, so I wouldn't kno...You know what a lousy cook I am, so I wouldn't know how to bake a baguette. I must say that I have never tasted a home made baguette that tasted right! :(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-53053737761188325262007-11-24T21:55:00.000+01:002007-11-24T21:55:00.000+01:00I'm a bread-baking Chris from California, but not ...I'm a bread-baking Chris from California, but not the one you're referring to in your blog.<BR/><BR/>I've made bread from various recipes every two weeks or so and have for 7 years. Some recipes call for sugar, and some don't. I've had no trouble with the yeast in sugarless bread, and I use plain old dried Red Star yeast that I buy in a two pound sack from Costco. I keep the bag in the freezer for months and months, and refresh the small jar in which I store the yeast in the frig.<BR/><BR/>I haven't made a baguette for years because I can buy really good ones locally. (I don't much care for Italian bread either; I just thought what we were getting was stale.)chrissouphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00398602853402174732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-82281735795902042012007-11-24T20:37:00.000+01:002007-11-24T20:37:00.000+01:00Conn, I guess you are right, it's all cultural. It...Conn, I guess you are right, it's all cultural. Italy = bread without salt. America = bread with sugar. France = the best bread around.<BR/><BR/>And autolycus, I guess that's as good a technical explanation as there is. But I think you can make a starter using dry yeast but no sugar. It just takes longer, maybe.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-19510080379375566782007-11-24T19:38:00.000+01:002007-11-24T19:38:00.000+01:00I don't know much about baking bread. While in Tus...I don't know much about baking bread. While in Tuscany I was surprised to find that none of the bread had salt. This custom is ancient in that part of Italy, supposedly this allows them to bake bread once a week and it doesn't get old as water is not attracted. It didn't taste fresh to me at any time and was very dry. I think the French have the right idea on bread!!ConnMchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17091665740295717752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-66464276187928111432007-11-24T14:25:00.000+01:002007-11-24T14:25:00.000+01:00I've been baking bread in a bread machine for more...I've been baking bread in a bread machine for more than twenty years. Until I discovered the SAF yeast, I used Fleischman or Red Star with mixed results. Just like SAF, I just had to add the dry yeast to the mixing flour and water, and voilĂ . My bread doesn't taste like French baguette but it sure taste better than store bought bread. Wonder...full!<BR/>It seems your can uses SAF yeast for any baking need.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-16953928619728924082007-11-24T13:59:00.000+01:002007-11-24T13:59:00.000+01:00I've always understood that if you're using dried ...I've always understood that if you're using <I>dried</I> yeast, you need a little sugar in the warm water to start it working before you mix it with the flour.Autolycushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17642868944400656922noreply@blogger.com