Sexy White Bread...

"It's only when the tide goes out that you discover who's been swimming naked" - Warren Buffet
Years ago, Sharon and Kate attended a bread conference in Sausilto (later this gathering became known as Camp Bread)While there they were lucky to meet Alan Scott (the gentleman who eventually came here and helped us build our oven) along with a host of other bakers who, through their great enthusiasm and inspiration, truly helped solidify our commitment to the craft. One of those bakers was Dave Miller, my favorite story they brought back from that trip was about the talk Dave gave about flours and grains and his referral to the pale loaf we enjoy with our peanut butter and jelly as 'sexy white bread'. Now, I can totally see where he's coming from... it's all silky and smooth, soft and chewy all at the same time...I like to think of our White Trash as not quite PG13 material, but the bread that really comes to mind for me as sexy is our ciabatta...now, I know...there's a bunch of y'all out there clamoring for the recipe, however, if you want to make the ciabatta...if you truly want to experience the butter dripping through the lovely holes and the amazing chewy crust from your own bread, you will want to go out and get a copy of Artisan Baking Across America by Maggie Glezer. In it you will find (it is like a treasure hunt, no?) Craig Claiborne's Ciabatta recipe. Don't be daunted like I was by the technicalities. I have to give my more scientific sister, Sharon, credit for working this formula out for us, here at the bakery, (the very wet dough had me freaked out, but once you get it, it's a revelation!)...I have spent the last eight years or so trying to get it right. I may almost be there!
p.s. for you insatiables...Here's more Bread Porn...(oh yeah), courtesy Donna Turner Ruhlman