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  • Reinhart and Dough...

    Peter Reinhart was in town yesterday to do a class on his new book Artisan Breads Every Day. It was a delight to watch him work with dough again. He makes the most amazing lean dough by hand. Almost like he waves his hands over the dough and it is suddenly together, manageable, and bouncy. I paid CLOSE attention this time (my third) and I need to spend some time with flour and water!

    Interesting class - started with lean dough, then a sweet dough (for sweet rolls, crumb cakes, and kolaches), a challah dough, and a rich butter dough (for chocolate/cinnamon babka). His message in this class was especially useful to beginning bakers. "Learn these four doughs and you can bake almost anything."

    While many of us on this site know this it is probably worth explicitly stating, there is no difference between lean dough for boules and baguettes and ciabatta, focaccia, and pizza dough OTHER than hydration, handling, and baking. Yes, boules tend to use bread flour and baguettes AP, but pizza doughs use both also.

    I had done challah before, but never worked with sweeter doughs, That was fun. The sweet rolls and kolaches were great and a different twist. I will begin doing those soon! The versatility was really neat.

    After the class, Peter, the class staff, and a few other students went to our primo WFO pizzaria for some late night dining and what a repast! Platters of salumis, prociutto, warmed olives, chunks of parme, and roasted mushrooms, Platters of house burrata, Italian burrata, and fior de latte. All with pizza flatbread with herbs. Then pizza margherita, prosciutto w/arugula, and yesterdays special which had soppressato, fingerling potatoes, mozz, rosemary, herbs, and more. And finally, platters of tiramisu, panna cotta, polenta cake, and more. Wines were a friulano, and a Montepulciano.

    Didn't get home until 1:30 this morning. And I can hardly move! What a meal!

    I will test some of my observations from class soon and share my successes.

    What a night!
    Jay

  • #2
    Re: Reinhart and Dough...

    Jay,

    Wow, what a day!

    Sounds like a blast..

    Do keep us posted on your next experiments with dough.

    JED

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    • #3
      Re: Reinhart and Dough...

      Jay - that sounds like so much fun. He's got a class scheduled in May for our local Sur La Table, but it's not yet posted on their site (and there's no waiting list). I really hope to be able to attend.

      Thanks for your description!

      S

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      • #4
        Re: Reinhart and Dough...

        It was a great day. I took them a loaf of sourdough during the prep period - about two hours before the class - and Peter and the staff of three inhaled it. Peter hadn't had my bread in about five years and I wanted to show off... If you have a class with him and want an opinion on your bread he will always be glad to critique. While I have fared very well in such tastings, he is definitely candid about the quality and will definitely address problems if he perceives them (with constructive advice, of course). Hope you get in S.

        After YEARS of slowly making progress in handling wet doughs and in getting them to come together I noticed some really minor details in how he handled dough that I want to test before saying "here's how to do it". Unfortunately I will be on the road next wek and probably won't get to bake until after the super bowl, but man I want to...

        I will definitely share!
        Jay

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        • #5
          Re: Reinhart and Dough...

          Sounds like a great place, what is the WFO pizzaria's name in case I travel to SA?

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          • #6
            Re: Reinhart and Dough...

            Hi John!

            I used to live in Benicia long, long ago - then in Vallejo!

            The pizzaria is "Dough". I think the owner puts out food that is comparable to Pizzaria Bianco (and in some respects better).

            Come down. It's a wonderful city to visit!
            Jay

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            • #7
              Re: Reinhart and Dough...

              Jay

              Thanks, not doubt on my list of things to do in
              San Antonio

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              • #8
                Re: Reinhart and Dough...

                Wow, what a cool experience. Thanks for sharing the info!

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