Malek Musings
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Cooking is my creative  outlet and my writing is "food for thought"  

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Hearth Bread

10/6/2014

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I've been working at getting better at bread baking for the last few months. I have recently ventured to trying the so called "artisan" breads and breads made in different shapes and looks.  I have found it's not really that hard!  Plus, it's a great way to express some creativity with your breads and not just bake breads in traditional loaf pans.

People I've talked to seem afraid of making yeast products.  Trust me, it's not hard and only takes patience and persistence to learn the nuances of yeast, kneading and gluten development.  I belong to some great bread baking internet groups where I get ideas and help as well as read books and research the internet.  King Arthur Flour also has an excellent site for recipes and tutorials for bread AND other baked goods.

Frankly, the introduction of bread machines has taken the guesswork out of making dough.  You can dump it in the pan, drop it in the machine and set it and "forget" it (sort of.  I find that you need to still tweak the dough ball with adding more water or more flour to get the proper consistency).  Personally, I just use the dough cycle with one rise, to get the dough ready.  I then remove it to shape and then proof (let it rise) a second time before baking in the oven. There are so many ways to shape your loaves and using the traditional oven is the only way to produce something other than a square or rectangular loaf  that is typical of most bread machines.  To bake bread in the oven, you can use a basic loaf pan or hand form the dough into a variety of shapes.  For baking in the oven you can bake on a stone or baking sheet, or bake in a lidded baker (cast iron, clay baker, Corningware or Pyrex/glass).

Today's Musing is a King Arthur flour website recipe for Hearth Bread that I tried for the very first time.  The recipe as written is for an Italian or French style loaf.  At the end of the recipe, it has directions for an alternate baking method as well as ingredient substitution (whole wheat flour for white flour)

I deviated from the recipe somewhat. I use organic ingredients whenever I can.  I cut the recipe by half, which produces a smaller loaf, about 1 lb. in size.  I also followed the recipe suggestion and replaced some of the all purpose flour with traditional whole wheat flour. I didn't use the suggested baking methods.  I let my dough rise for the second time in a simple round wicker basket that was lined with a well floured smooth linen type kitchen towel.  After completing the second rise, I then flipped the dough onto a piece of parchment paper.  I made the circular scoring pattern on the surface of the dough with a single edge razor blade.  I then carefully picked up the dough by the parchment paper edges, and set it into my preheated, very HOT cast iron dutch oven.  I baked the bread with the lid on, in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  I then then removed the lid and continued baking for about 10 minutes or so for the loaf to develop some color.

This is by far, the best scored bread that I've made so far.  And it tastes delicious!

Here is the link to the King Arthur Flour recipe

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/hearth-bread-recipe


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Hearth Bread made with whole wheat flour.
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crumb shot
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Free Food Samples - It's More Than Just Eating For Free

10/4/2014

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image credit: theatlantic.com
I suspect that just about everyone has tried a free food sample at one time or another.  If you are a Costco shopper, you definitely know about the free food samples that are offered in the store.  You could almost come in hungry and leave having eaten from all the food groups!   People love "free", people love "food" so why wouldn't people love "free food"?? What you may not be thinking about as you are munching away, is the retailer's use of marketing strategies behind free sample advertising.  Retailers use sampling for financial as well as behavioral reasons.  Evidence shows that samples can boost sales, sometimes significantly and they can also sway people to begin buying things they never would have purchased otherwise.

Costco is probably one of the most well known retailers employing free sample marketing strategies.  It is a well known practice, even encouraged on blogs, to cruise the sample stations for a "free lunch".  There is evidence that free sampling opportunities not only help consumers learn more about products, it also make the retail environment more appealing.  Costco itself does not manage the sample stations.  A product demonstration company is responsible for staffing the sample tables.

Behavioral economists state that getting something for free creates a strong feeling of obligation to do something back.  (ie. buy the product you just sampled).  Free samples can also make forgotten cravings become more evident to the consumer, causing the consumer to feel compelled to act on the craving. One interesting fact from sampling research showed that it is important for the demo table to be staffed (vs. self serve).  A heightened awareness of the presence of others increases the "social pressure" to make a post-sample purchase.

In addition, the prepared food departments in stores for eat in and carry out, including the "cafe" at Costco, are designed to make the store a destination for eating a meal.  Once in the store, there is a greater  likelihood of the consumer buying additional products while at the store.  At the very least, eating a meal at the store increases the positive experience of the customer, making it more likely that they will return to the establishment at a later date.

You can read more details about free sample marketing strategy by visiting the links below.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/the-psychology-behind-costcos-free-samples/380969/

http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/trends/offering-a-bit-more-than-a-free-sample/4001841.article

http://business.time.com/2011/02/17/the-power-of-freebies-why-companies-pay-to-give-free-samples-to-supermarket-customers/




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Rose Challah Bread

10/1/2014

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image credit: freeze frame from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA5qk4xLbdc
I've been continuing to experiment with a variety of new breads and I've discovered that not only is it fun to try new recipes and types of dough, it's fun to discover new ways of presentation.  Bread is so much more than just baking.  It can become an art form.  I've always thought working with bread dough is so much like working with pottery clay.  You are limited only by your imagination.  Personally, I have a creative streak, but I'm not "that" creative, so I've been searching for other more talented artisan works out there for inspiration.

Today's Musing is a video that I ran across that shows how to create a beautiful rose challah.  It's not in English, but, it's an easy to follow demonstration with a beautiful product.  I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to give it a try!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA5qk4xLbdc
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