A Simple and Life Changing Bagel Recipe

Based on Jeffrey Hamelman’s recipe in Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes 453 grams (16 ounces) bread flour 263 grams (9 ounces) water 9 grams (.3 ounces) salt 2 grams (.07 ounces or approximately 3/4 teaspoon) active dry yeast Malt syrup or molasses for boiling Optional: sesame, poppy, flake salt or other seeds for topping. Yield: 6 bagels 1. Throw all the ingredients except the malt syrup or molasses into a stand mixer and mix on th...

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The New Homemade Kitchen

I have many fond memories of teaching bread baking classes for the late Joseph Shuldiner’s cheekily named Institute of Domestic Technology. Joseph had a unique formula for the curriculum of the IDT. I’d summarize as “stuff that you’d never think of doing from scratch but once you find out how easy it is your life will be transformed.” In addition to the aforementioned bread baking, the IDT offered classes in mustard, cheese making, jam making, co...

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That Time I Got Deplatformed

...time, but back in September of 2017 a Meetup group I ran, The Los Angeles Bread Bakers got booted off its payment system, a Paypal competitor called WePay (as of October 2017, owned by JPMorgan Chase). Mike of WePay’s Orwelian “Customer Delight” department sent me this astonishingly rude email: Mike (WePay Support) Sep 1, 2017 1:56 PM PDT Hi there, We apologize for the inconvenience, but WePay is no longer able to process payments for your accoun...

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Hidey Holes and Hooch Hounds

A few years ago I had the great privilege of teaching bread classes in the Greystone mansion for the Institute of Domestic Technology. The mansion, located in Beverly Hills, was the most expensive home built in the 1920s. It was a gift from oil bazillionaire Edward Doheny to his son Ned Doheny. To put it mildly, things life did not go well for the family. The Doheny family almost brought down president Harding through their involvement in the Tea...

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099 The Amazing Sourdough Breads of Guy Frenkel

...en if you’re not a baker you’ll be inspired by Guy’s enthusiasm, persistence and creativity. Here are the links Guy mentions: Guy’s yeast water pdf farmer Larry Kandarian Perfect Sourdough Facebook Group Udemy online bread making classes The Sourdough Library T&A Farms Guy’s social media: @Ceorbread in Instgram, Ceor Bread Facebook, Guy Frenkel in Facebook. If you’d like to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or...

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