Pain au levain de sarrasin

Buckwheat … hmm, weird stuff. It is not wheat and unlike wheat, no grass.

“Contrary to its name, buckwheat is not a wheat. The plant is more bush-like than the tall slender stalks of most grains. It is a member of the Polygonaceace family along with dock, sorrel, bindweed and knotweed. Buckwheat is also closely related to rhubarb. Buckwheat is well known for its hardiness and overall ability to thrive in even very poor conditions.” (pancakeparlour.com)

What to do with it? Like barley, for instance, it does not contain stretchy proteins that would allow a large percentage to be added to bread doughs. But by using finely milled buckwheat flour and mixing it with strong white flour, it transforms a white pain au levain into something rustic and mellow. The nutty flavor goes well with mild cheeses. (But what doesn’t?)

Bayerische Hausmannskost

Sunday, I really went to town with some Weisswurst dish by one of my favorite German chefs ever, Alfons Schuhbeck. I have never liked the traditional way of eating German white sausages (you suck-bite-slurp them out of their skins – brrr), but here they are cleverly disguised in a coating of breadcrumbs and then shallow-fried. And since it is chanterelle season, the potato-chanterelle-salad was exceedingly delicious.

Cherry-Cheesecake

Yeah, like the world needed more cheesecake recipes. I agree. But I decided that my waistline needed attention. I have been losing weight recently.

Mysteriously yours,
theinversecook

The salt-yeast method and Demi-Baguettes

The “Salz-Hefe-Verfahren” is a method of increasing stability and improving gas retention of yeasted bread doughs.

Caffè and peaches

“Agreeable”, I thought, enshrouded and lulled by the aromas from my espresso cup.