I love baguettes. Nothing serves as a better vehicle for delicious soft brie cheese, butter and homemade jam, yummy charcuterie, or pretty much anything. I love using it for sandwiches with my favorite sandwich on a baguette being the Banh Mi, the uber delicious Vietnamese sandwich (and also a favorite economical choice since most Banh Mi sandwiches go for less than $5 at most Vietnamese joints).
So when I saw that the City of Vancouver was offering a baguette class, I jumped at the chance to learn how to make it. I also convinced two other social workers, J.W. and C.P. (C.P. took a sourdough starter class with me previously) to join me in my madness since I'm tired of being the lonely heart at these classes.
A real legit conversation between me and J.W. days before the class.
J.W.: I think I may wear a beret to the class but it may look weird.
Me: I say wear it. Or wear a black and white striped shirt. I'll smoke cigarettes and wear a scarf during the class.
J.W.: Hahahahah
Me: You bring a bike with a picnic basket on the front.
J.W.: I know a little bit of French too. Allons-y! Mais oui!
Me: I know a bit of French because I took it until grade 12 to be with a boy that I liked. Mon dieu! Sacre bleu! I know some French swear words too.
J.W.: Well you know more than me.
The class was small (there were four of us) with me not being the lonely heart. What what! We learned how to roll our the baguettes with pre-made dough and learned how to make our own dough. The kneading part was definitely the best part. We learned a kneading technique called slap and fold. Here's a video on this technique (since I couldn't film myself doing it):
It definitely qualifies as a great stress reliever (What's that P? I can't buy that dress? Slap and fold!). Due to my enthusiasm, the dough almost falls on my head and other times would brush my hairline. Due to C.P.'s enthusiasm, some end up on her face. J.W. also confirms that some almost ended up in her hair.
Some tips I learned:
-Measuring by weight rather than by mL's will make a difference in the quality of your product so it's a good idea to buy a kitchen scale.
-To simulate those wood fired stone/brick ovens and enhance the quality of your bread, take unglazed ceramic tiles and bake your bread on them. I have gone to two places and have yet to find these tiles.
-Steam is key when making bread. According to The Kitchn website, bread will rise rapidly as gas is expelled and the yeast have a final burst of activity. The steam keeps the outside crust soft so the bread can continue to expand. As well, the water dissolves the sugar in the dough. Once the water evaporates, the sugar carmelizes making it that beautiful brown color. To outfit your oven for steam, take some good rocks from your garden (clean them obviously) put them in a roasting pan. Put the whole thing in your oven to heat up while your oven heats. Right before you put in your bread, pour a cup of water on the rocks and then quickly put your bread in. Voila a steamy sexy sauna for your bread reminiscent of the sauna of the bizzare Korean spa I went to with two of my girlfriends (we wore bathing suits while everyone was naked!). That story is for another day.
We made so many baguettes that day that I go home with four of them. J.W. and I stop at Cioffi's, an Italian deli to pick up some lovely charcuterie and cheese to eat with our baguettes. I decide to go with some delicious Italian salami and porchetta and to honor the country of the baguette, a French cheese (brie).
So now I'm obsessed with making bread. It's not just about slapping some flour, water, and yeast together. It's a FREAKING SCIENCE. Some people spend years perfecting their formula for bread. Chad Robertson, author of Tartine Bread (a cookbook I am obsessed with but refusing to buy until I've worked through my other cookbook The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread by Peter Reinhart) spent time in France working with master bakers and learning their craft. How romantic! P would say "how nerdy". I don't have that time or money but have decided to take on this journey wholeheartedly...in my tiny apartment.
