COVID19: More Loafing

Yesterday afternoon was perfect for a nap because the rain and the mood were right, but I made a loaf of bread instead.

The recipe, which is Mark Bittman's take on loaf bread from "How to Cook Everything," (this is the version I have - it's only $16.50 from Amazon - I got mine from Mom for Christmas one year) is my favorite basic dough and offers a lot of versatility. I've used it to make sandwich buns, dinner rolls, cinnamon buns, and now a loaf of what I've dubbed "Notorious Justice" to honor the life and memory of the incredible Ruth Bader Ginsberg. 

I added two big tablespoons of Penzey's Justice seasoning to the dry ingredients and chose extra virgin olive oil (instead of canola oil or butter) to pump the savory flavor of the seasoning. I used a smidge of Justice in the first version of sun-dried tomato bagels but chose a mix of Turkish oregano and Italian seasoning blend in the half-dozen I sent to Sis. 

The seasoning of that first batch was so subtle it was barely there, so for this loaf of bread, which has the same measure of flour as the bagels, I used about twice that amount. The next time I might or might not use more or supplement with a couple of teaspoons of onion or shallot powder - not garlic, because it could easily overpower the lovely melody of alliums and green peppercorns in the Justice blend.

Here's how the bread looked before and after I baked it:

                                                        

                                                      

That big bubble rose so high in the oven that it touched the upper heating element and had started to scorch when I smelled something going on and rescued the bread. I had to move the rack down and lost some heat from the oven in the process, but an extra five minutes of baking time did the trick without browning the top too too much. 

The texture is perfect, and again, I may or may not add more seasoning the next time I do a Notorious Justice loaf. This tastes pretty darn good - kind of like garlic bread but with warm, friendly allium flavors baked into it rather than buttered-on in an aggressive slick of garlic.

For flavor, I give myself a B to B+. An overnight proof in the fridge would've brought this into the exceptionally good range but for start-to-finish in the span of four and a half hours, it's a solid effort.

Technique is where I have the most opportunities to improve. My loaves and buns have a tendency to do like this loaf and grow giant air-warts on top, but this is the first time I've had a loaf rise enough during the bake to touch the element. Smelling the scorch and taking care of that situation was fortunate, but I should have realized there wasn't enough clearance between the risen loaf and the top of the oven and moved the rack beforehand. C- on that part of the score. 

For my skill level with bread baking, this was a deliciously average'ish performance. 

COVID19: Bloom Where You're Planted. Or Somewhere Else

Mom and Dad have expanded their back porch, and the little offset flower bed by the kitchen door was sacrificed for the project. 

A few weeks ago, I rolled to the farm and helped Dad relocate a couple dozen marigolds and some pretty yellow and brown coneflowers which came up voluntarily this year. Someone gave Mom a bouquet of cut flowers at an event at some point in the past year, and after they shriveled-up, she tossed the stems out the back door and into that bed.

When the seeds sprouted, she wasn't sure what they were, but she suspected something good.

They turned into this:

Pretty, huh?

We relocated those, too. Some to the round bed at the front corner of the back yard and some in another bed by the electric pole. We dug a few and scattered out the older, seedy-headed stems in hopes that they will populate the new area as easily as these did.

The marigolds have taken to their new home. A hot day in August isn't the best time dig and replant, but it had to be done, so we watered them in immediately even though plenty of rain came later in the day. After only a few weeks, they look like they've lived where they are forever. 

Here's a picture I snapped as I was leaving the day Dad and I worked the beds. It looks so much better now. I'll have to take a shot or have Mom send one to share here! 

Dad and I were both exhausted, but we had a wonderful time and made Mom happy with our hard work. 

I brought a picnic, too. Fried chicken sandwiches (leftover from the previous night's dinnner) and homemade potato salad. Dad was much appreciative.