Monday, September 28, 2009

The Brioche that Ate Chicago

I made the Brioche from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day (A most excellent book and method - highly recommended!) Every recipe so far has worked incredibly well, had great crust and it really is quick and easy to do.

The Brioche is the one I've been wanting to try. During the first rise it overflowed the 5.5 Qt mixing bowl, covered the mixer and flowed down the counter trying to escape completely. If I'd fallen asleep The neighbors would have seen this goop flowing out my windows and I wouldn't be typing this today. I corralled the beast into a 1.5 gallon bowl and it was mostly filled by the time I got it into the refrigerator. "On baking day" I pulled off a grapefruit sized piece, cloaked it and set it out to rise. At the end of that time it was 6" in diameter and about 2" tall. I washed it with my patented 'nothing like egg' wash substitute and popped it in the oven. Three minutes later it was 10" in diameter and 1-3" tall:


I turned the heat up to 350 (The convection oven was set to 325) in hopes of stemming the lateral growth. Fortunately it did stop there and it's cooking away as I type. I can't wait to taste it. I'm hoping for the greatest cinnamon rolls and apple strudels known to man.
And after cooling? The taste and crust: Incredible. Like died and gone to heaven delicious. The crumb texture wasn't dense enough for my taste but that's because:
1. I over cooked it
2. NO DUCK EGGS in the BRIOCHE! Write it on the chalkboard like 10,000 times.
3-12: To be determined
Want a piece?

One thing I thought of is it would make a spectacular biscotti - I may try rebaking a piece to see!

Sunday, September 27, 2009

The Mushrooms of 9-25-9

Look at this weird mushroom!

The trip mascot:

What was left of the edible bounty after the first Chanterelle meal


Unknown #1: If I spinkle cinnamon on it does that make it a matsutaki?




Unknown #2: Red cap at night, shroomer's delight?

WAIT! ID by COW: Boletus Mirabilis! WTG COW!



Unknown #3: Half a shroom's better than none...



Miscellaneous xerampelinoids:



Unknown #4: Wart top






Unknown #5: Originally purple and green, now greenish brown




Unknown #6: 8" tall bolete - there are scratches on stem and pores showing it stains brown if at all.




Unknown #7: green-brown viscid top with indigo on stem



Polypore: