Reflections on summer 2010

Yikes, what a summer. Labour strife, gushing oil and sky-rocketing wheat prices. Not to mention pestilence and locusts.
We're trying to find a location and set up shop, but it's hard. It's either too much rent or no you can't vent at this location. Enough to drink you to driving. The solution is to keep doing what you do best, in my case it's BAKE MORE BREAD.
I have wanted to expand our Rye Bread category, even if it's only for my own particular tastes.
I love the earthy, tangy flavour of a sourdough rye. With it's unique production requirements rye bread is an interesting challenge when compared to breads made exclusively with wheat flour. Mind you, a combination of whole grain rye flour and high gluten wheat flour, say, 40% rye and 60% wheat makes for a pleasant mix of hearty chewiness. Great for morning carb munching or sandwiches.
Switch the percentages around to 60% rye and only 40% wheat, or even higher, and you can see why folks in Germany and pretty much all of eastern Europe could live on it almost exclusively, back in the days of hand threshing and serfdom.

40% Rye with Caraway Seeds

60% Rye with Sunflower Seeds

Krackerkörn Levain

With the interest level for whole grain breads holding its own, you would think that the next big thing bread-wise would be an increased demand for rye breads. While I won't bank on that happening I am going to push it from my end and continue to pump out more varieties of the humble but tasty rye bread. Here are a few pics from recent bread bakes. (I don't know why I call them "bread bakes", it's not as if I'm doing pastries or cakes).

Red Fife Levain with Pumpkin Seeds