Does the flour you use to make bread really make that much difference? It can! I was reminded of this during COVID, when we all baked with whatever flour we could find. Bread flour was especially hard to come by, and my favorite brands were replaced by empty shelves or a cheaper store brand. Even though I followed my recipes the same way, the dough didn’t always behave the same. Some batches needed more water. Some weren’t as fresh. Others didn’t have the chewiness I wanted. There are several...

Just like soup in the winter, certain foods signal the start of summer for me. When our kids lived at home, we often went camping over Memorial Day weekend. Most of those memories center on spending time in the community bathrooms to stay safe during a rainstorm accompanied with tornado warnings. I remember desperately trying to grill shrimp in the rain one year. Nowadays, we celebrate with a backyard swimming party, lots of games, and the foods we crave most when summer starts. Deviled Eggs...

Part 2 of the series: Why People Add Too Much Flour to Bread Dough Today's topic is: The Dough Should Stick (a Little) The dough looks sticky… so you add flour. Then more flour. Before you know it, you've got something that looks like playdough or a rubber ball. Last time we talked about why judging dough too early leads to adding too much flour. Today let’s talk about what properly hydrated dough actually looks like. If you've ever made one of my bread recipes, you've probably read this:...