ZOOMIE STATION BREAD

“Zoomie Station, Friendship, Sourdough and Best Bread Ever’ are several names that we can call our bread tonight. This bread was made from a wild yeast that is passed down from generation to generation. The Amish call it “Friendship Bread’, because you would pass the yeast to your neighbors. This yeast was contained in a flour and water mixture. The “Gold Miner’s” of California had a similar yeast concoction and called it sourdough. Today Zoomie of Zoomie Station gave us a small container of flour and water with live yeast. With the addition of sugar, salt, water and flour, it will be transformed into a loaf of fine bread.

What is great about this starter is that is a living and breathing organism. You need to feed your starter occasionally. With proper care this yeast will live forever. I would like to share this starter with you. Drop me a line and for the price of postage I will send you some. Instructions will be included. See you next time.

SOURDOUGH IRIS BREAD

Sourdough and Iris's are not really connected but they are both happening at the Mad Meat Genius abode. Our good friend Zoomie gifted us some sourdough starter. It was put to good use to create this tangy loaf of bread. We spotted this Iris in the front yard. They both have brought us pleasure. Connected, I think so!

SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

There is nothing like laying a foundation of Sourdough Pancakes in your stomach to start the day. I eat three or four and my stomach expands to Homer Simpson proportions. I also include another food group to this meal. Of course, the food group is named Bacon. Today's bacon just happens to be Nueske's bacon. It is the smoke bomb extravaganza. I take these two ingredients and put a huge slab of butter and drown them in Pure Maple Syrup. It is a simple guilty pleasure. Man, Oh Man!, I am going to take a nap before I have to get up to start lunch.

Sourdough Pancakes

1. 1 cup of sourdough starter
2. 1 cup of water
3. 1 cup of flour
4. 1 tablespoon sugar
5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
6. 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
7. 1 tablespoon oil
8. 1 large egg

Take the starter, flour and water and mix together. Let sit covered on counter overnight. The next morning add remaining ingredients. Mix everything well. Cook on hot oiled griddle.

TWO TONE SOURDOUGH BREAD

One of my hobbies is cooking in Dutch Ovens. I have entered a couple of contests and have had some sucess. It is amazing what you can cook in a Dutch Oven. It actually can be more consistent in temperature than your home oven. I have been having some fun cooking Sourdough bread in my Dutch Oven. I was gifted the starter by Dylan of 'Sourdough Monkey Wrangler'. I am on a team called "The Meat Men". We will be competing this June in Carson City at the "Rendezvous Day" event. http://www.eventsnevada.com/rendezvous.htm . We just finished competing in the 'Three Pot Cookoff' at the 'Sportsmen' Show at Cal Expo. Here are some pictures of the event.

http://www.flickr.com/gp/31665789@N00/1n25zt .

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water, 1 tablespoons yeast, 4 cups white bread flour, 2 cups whole wheat

flour, 2 teasp salt, 1 cup of sourdourgh starter, 1 tablespon honey, 1/4 cup oil

Proof yeast in water for 10 minutes. Add starter,honey,1 tablespoon of oil and two cups of flour. Mix and let rest for 1/2 hour. Divide dough mixture into two halfs. Add two cups of whole wheat flour and 1 teaspoon of salt and nead for 5 minutes. Take other half and add two cups of white flour and 1 teaspoon of salt and nead for 5 minutes. Lest rest for 15 minutes. Roll each half into logs 1 1/2 in by 12 in. Let rest 15 min. Line both roll side by side and twist together. Take the twist and make a circle. Use the rest of the oil and coat the dutch oven liberally. Place dough mixture into oven and let rise 45 minutes. Bake for aprox 45 minutes.

SOURDOUGH BREAD

I am still learning about tempatures and baking times in the Beehive Oven. It will get crazy hot and I need to let the tempature drop for baking. I measured 500 degrees when I put the bread in. When you close the door the tempature rises. This loaf got a little crusty on the outside. It was delicous. It had a tang from the sourdough. I just sliced it and served it with Fresh Butter from Spring Hill Farms.

BEEHIVE OVEN

Two Christmas's ago Ms. Goofy bought me a wood burning oven. It is called the Beehive. I am firing it up today. I use almond wood. It is a hard wood and has a mellow smoke profile. When you cook in the Beehive, you really do not get a smoky flavor. It can cook a very high heat. I have got it up to 900 degrees measured by my digital laser themometer. (That is another story). At 900 degrees you cannot really cook anything except burnt toast. When it cools down, to say 600 degrees you can make the killer pizza. You let it cool down some more and Beer Can Chicken is the way to go. Bread is on the list. I am still experimenting with the tempature and cooking times.

Today I am making a Sourdough Bread. My friend Dylan from Sourdough Monkey Wrangler gave me a sourdough starter. I have been keeping it active. Sourdough Starter is one of the simple pleasures of life. All it takes is flour,water, and a little patience. You then get this living "Mother" (Sourdough Term). It can be used for yeast and flavor for you baking. My recipe today is simple.

2 cups starter 3 tablespoons honey

4 cups bread flour 1 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons oil

Knead this all together. Let rise for 1 to 2 hours, Until it doubles. Punch down and shape and let rise for another 45 minutes. Bake for aprox 40 minutes at 450.