Panem

Found a recipe online for making great crusty old-style artisan bread...
Boule Bread Recipe
Tried it out...

1st try was a great success albeit a small loaf.  Plus, it got a little charred due to its close proximity to the heating element (I only have a mini oven)

2nd try was a fiasco.  I was thinking of ways of getting more baking space to prevent the rising dough from touching the heating element and thus, preventing it from charring.  I was experimenting with a tempered glass ramekin for a water bath to see if its small size would free up some space...IMPORTANT PIECE OF ADVICE: DO NOT...I REPEAT... DO NOT POUR WATER ON A HOT PIECE OF GLASSWARE - UNLESS YOU WANT A GLASS GRENADE SENDING SHARDS ALL OVER YOUR KITCHEN!!!). Needless to say, the glassware exploded when I poured the water, with the loaf next to it.  So no water bath and possible sharp objects in the bread = NO GO.  This one got pitched in the trash =(.

3rd try - returned to the original set up: baking tray, with cooling rack on top, with cookie sheet on top of it.  Water bath was placed on the tray with the rack safely holding up the cookie sheet with the new dough.  This time, I made the dough size a little bigger.  Again, big mistake...the dough rose, got real close to the heating element and was nicely burnt...still I was able to scrape off enough of the charred skin.  Overall I think this one was a success.

I tried the 1st loaf I made and it was delicious.  Especially with olive oil and cracked pepper.

I think I'll make some more...

Take home messages of the day:
- Get a bigger oven
- No water on hot glassware.  EVER!
- Water baths are a good thing in baking.

Song of the day: "You Are The Best Thing (Slow Version)" - Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs

Where did it go?

Last weekend, I was at a baby shower for my college friends (Al and Chris).  This Afternoon, I saw recent wedding pictures of another one of my college friends (Jay).  My younger sister's daughter is almost 2 years of age now.  And there was a talk this morning by a Financial Adviser about planning for the future (retirement plan, life insurance, long term contingency plan for aging parents, etc) that I attended.  
When did the idea of being grown up become such a crappy premise?
And yet, I still don't feel grown up. Not married. No kids. No home ownership (although I technically have a mortgage that I am paying off at the moment). And I'm 32.
Tempus fugit.

Song of the day: "Bobby Tanqueray" - Lake Street Dive