Jenn Dolari @dolari@driveinsaturday.org

The joys of a west facing apartment on a sunny day:

I haven't posted the recipe for the struan bread, mostly because the recipe I've used tastes AMAZING, but the instructions themselves needed a lot of work to get something close to bread.

But people have been asking, so here's the recipe and some of the notes/extra steps I have on making the bread (in parenthesis). PLEASE READ THE WHOLE RECIPE BEFORE YOU TRY IT. Mainly because there are alternate steps here and there. Also, it's still not perfect, but it's been six weeks since I first started working on this recipe and people are wanting it. :)

The original recipe comes from https://leaandjay.wordpress.com/2011/07/18/struan-celtic-harvest-bread

# Struan Bread

Lea & Jay
2.0 loaves

5.0 cups unbleached bread flour
0.25 cup coarse cornmeal
0.25 cup rolled oats
3.0 tbsp oat bran
0.5 cup cooked brown rice
0.25 cup brown sugar
2.5 tsp salt
2.0 tbsp instant yeast
1.5 tbsp honey
1.5 cups water (dough)
0.5 cup buttermilk
(1.0 eggs)
sesame seeds

1 - Combine all of the ingredients (except sesame seeds and egg) in a large mixing bowl. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 2 minutes. (I ended up using the dough hook attachment as the paddle didn't work as well)

2 - Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to fully hydrate the flour.

3 - Once again, mix on the slowest speed with the paddle (hook) attachment for 2 minutes more. The dough should be very tacky or slightly sticky. (If not, add a touch more water, mix for another two minutes, wait five minutes to hydrate the flour and repeat until tracky/sticky).

4 - Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, then dust the top of the dough with flour. Lightly knead the dough for 2-3 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. The dough will still be soft and sticky but should hold together to for a soft, supple ball.

5 - With oiled hands, reach under on end of the dough, stretch it out, then fold it back onto itself. Do this from the back-end and then from each side. Flip the dough over and tuck it into a ball.

6 - Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Repeat this entire process three more times, completing all repetitions within 40 minutes. (I think this may be too many times, but four ended up with collapsed loaves, and three ended up with uncollapsed, but denser than I'd like bread...but this may be an issue with oven heat, too...just keep an eye out for the rise).

7 - Place dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight for up to 5 days. (This step I don't do. I did it once, and could not get the bread to rise after removing it from the fridge and ended up with a bread brick).

8 - Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to bake. (Again, I don't refridgerate the dough and go straight into step 9)

(9 - Crack an egg and beat well to create an egg wash for the bread.)

10 - Put the dough in greased loaf pans.

11 (From the original recipe) - Brush the top of the dough with water and sprinkle with poppy seeds (this isn't in the ingredients list on the site, showing sesame seeds instead) then mist with spray oil.

(11 (Changed from the original recipe) - Brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.)

12 - Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until increased to about 1 1/2 times its original size.

13 - About 15 minutes prior to baking preheat the oven to 350° F (177°C).

14 - Bake the loaves for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan. The total baking time is 45-60 minutes. The bread is done when it has a rich golden color, the loaf sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom, and the internal temperature is about 185°F (85°C)

15 - Cool for 1 hour before slicing or serving.

And there's the warning. Weather Underground has knocked down their high temperatures for this "Heat Pulse" so that it's not breaking 90, but still gonna be real warm around here.

My reaction to biting into this toast made from homemade struan bread: https://youtu.be/c0NdwzdOLkE

WHY YOU GOTTA CALL ME OUT GOOGLE MAPS

When I was designing the Evolution of Star Trek: The Motion Picture site, I seriously considered cribbing the design from the Star Wars: Behind The Magic presentation of the script.

I ended up going with the "long ribbon" display cause the script differences got really complicated towards the end, and it was just better to have them kind of "cross reference" themselves, version making little callouts for all sorts of differences in the draft.

Also, it kinda looked like LCARS so I stuck with it.

I've had dreams like this. Looking at myself and myself from outside myself.... #SecondLife

Cut scene from Episode 10 of Picard: "The Last Generation"

All set for the "heat wave"coming up. It's in quotes not because "I'm from Texas and I've felt worse" but "oh, it's gonna get warm, but not nearly as warm as it will later this season."

I wrote yesterday, I drew today. Can I keep it up with back and neck pain? Stay tuned....

Well...now what?!

Looking like we're installing the AC this week....

Getting a little bored of the basic food I've been eating since the paychecks stopped, so I made some carne picada. But I really messed it up.

Not sure what I was thinking, but I put in the potatoes to cook, and when I should have put the meat in to brown, I added all the veggies instead. My head was all "this will boil the meat in flavors" but in the end all I ended up with was very grey meat.

Then, as I was adding all the spices, I accidentally added Curry instead of Cumin at one point. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I wanted.

I've been...distracted. By a lot of things. Mrf.

Military grade P38 can opener works just like all the MRE aficionados said it would. Great little thing to have in the emergency kit....

Today's Trip: Bellingham and Lynden. Lynden loves its windmills. Bellingham loves to honk at you for any minor inconvenience.

Today's Trip: the ghost town of Park, WA

Tin Roof on tap!

They. Have. Fried. Catfish.

Struan Bread, Round 3.

This time, I followed the directions until my instrincts said "don't do that," used buttermilk for the dairy instead of the yogurt, and instead of having it rise five times, I did four, with the fourth rise being a bench rise.

The oven...the oven was well monitored, preheating for an hour while I dialed in the correct temperature (350F in oven seems to be 300 on the dial). But I made SURE it was the right temp, and it baked for the full amount of time in the recipe instead of being ready in half the time.

Also, I noticed the ingredients list listed sesame seeds, but the instructions mentioned poppy seeds. Again, not the most reliable recipe. So I decided (1) to go ahead and put sesame seeds on it and (2) use an eggwash to stick the seeds to the bread better. And it worked beautifully.

The end result...It doesn't seem as fluffy as the last loaf (I'm not sure how as it's it "taller" than the collapsed bread), but isn't really dense like the first loaf (I still think there's too much punching down of the dough). Not as wet as the last loaf, but not as dry. But you know what? It's bread! It's actually very good, and I'm calling this a success, adding it to my regular routine, and moving forward. Might make some cornbread next time....

It's nice making your own bread. REAL nice making GOOD bread.

#cooking #baking

Does it come in Jack Daniels Zero Sugar?