Bringing food chemistry to life

A blog of baking and cooking with outstanding photography. http://www.farine-mc.com/

I am particularly taken with the author’s “ask the baker” posts with Gérard Rubaud, a French baker from Vermont USA.

The post http://www.farine-mc.com/2010/01/batardbaguette-shaping-gerards-method.html shows in VIDEO [fabulous] the interesting method M. Rubaud uses to make his batards [he calls them baguettes but you need to read the Farine post to get the gist]. What is most striking to me is the care and attention and unhurried pace he works at. In the 5th of the series of short videos he actually says “don’t rush it“, “take all the time you like – at this stage”.

There are others that I need to look at in detail especially M. Rubaud’s method of building a levain [starter].

Chemistry – where’s the chemistry – Oh it’s here alright! in the post about the aromas health benefits of sourdough starters that links to a literature review posted by Robert B. Low, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics Professor, at the University of Vermont. He raises issues of phytic acid hydrolysis by sourdough microflora in whole wheat breads. Of course, left intact, phytate complexes divalent cations Ca2+, Fe2+, Mg2+ etc and is a factor in reducing their absorption in consumers of high levels of whole wheat products.

That’s all for now.