Bread making comments from a reader

A reader left some very interesting comments about breadmaking. There is so much good information here, that I just had to move it to the top of the page.

Desert Tortuga said...

Found your comments on the AUX battery setup interesting. Thought you might find these observations on bread making interesting.

First, I use sourdough starter for making bread. No, sourdough bread does not taste sour, unless you let it ferment to get that sour [lactic acid] taste. With a starter you don't need to buy those tiny packets of yeast every time. You can save the starter in a mix form, freeze it and even in a dry cake form [yeast cake].

Second, you don't need to roll out the dough or flour board, you can mix it all in a bowl and pour that into your bread maker or let the bread maker do the mixing. I mix mine in a bowl, as the mixer part of my bread maker is broken.

Third, moisture/dryness of bread, sugar while sweetening the bread has an important role in the moisture content of the bread. Some people say that this is it main purpose, moisture content and not the taste of the bread.

Fourth, sour dough made bread has the taste of the starter, which gives it a great taste, just eaten plain. This is why some starters date back hundreds of years and are very prized by their owners.

As you are aware, homemade bread is very good for you, store bought bread contains up to a teaspoon of salt per slice, that's a lot of salt!!

Soy flour is good to add to the bread, give it a nice flavor to both the body and the crust. also increase the protein content of the bread.

Fifth, bread without whole wheat flour added to it is a high glycenic food, it raises your blood sugar levels too quickly. Counter act this by making bread with at least 1 cup of whole wheat flour per 4 cups of regular flour. Also use a natural sugar rather than refined, this will slow its uptake.

Here is a source for sour dough starter:
http://home.att.net/~carlsfriends/
USA Residents
Send a self-addressed, stamped (41¢) #10 envelope [SASE41] to:

Oregon Trail Sourdough
P. O. Box 321
Jefferson, MD 21755 USA

HIGH PROTEIN DIET/CORNELL BREAD
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/3 c -Water
1 1/3 tb Vegetable oil
4 ts Honey
1 t -Salt
8 ts Wheat germ
1/3 c Soy flour
1 1/3 c Whole wheat flour
1 2/3 c Bread flour
1/3 c Nonfat dry milk
2 ts Yeast

Thanks for the great info, Desert! Write again anytime; this kind of quality work is always welcome.