We have a winner in the Ancient Grains for Modern Meals Cookbook Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who entered the Ancient Grains for Modern Meals Cookbook giveaway.  We had over 50 entries.  What a great response! 

 

To determine the winner in the fairest manner, I took all of the entries (from the blog, Facebook and Twitter) in the order received and entered the list of names in the List Randomizer on Random.org.  It provided me with a random list of names. According to the instructions, the winner is the first number on the list.

 

Congratulations Rachel of Spice of Life you’re number came up!  You’re the winner of the Ancient Grains for Modern Meals cookbook. I’ll contact you separately to get your details.

 

Thanks again everyone for entering the contest and for your interest in learning more about whole grains.

 

Happy Baking and Eating!

Cathy

Ancient Grains for Modern Meals Cookbook Giveaway

In Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, the author, Maria Speck, expresses her desire to transform the world into one planet of whole grain lovers. Her love of whole grains shines through the book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her experiences and learning the history behind some of the recipes.

Read my review of the book here.

Sara Remington © 2011

This contest is closed. Congratulations to Rachel of Spice of Life who won the Ancient Grains for Modern Meals cookbook. Refer to this post for more details.

The first recipe I tried from the book was the Floating Sesame Loaf. It was a really fun bread.  There are several other bread recipes and a pizza recipe I plan to try, but this time, I decided to step out of the bread box and try something different.

The next recipe I tested was the Creamy Farro with Honey-Roasted Grapes. It’s really a breakfast or brunch dish, but it sounded so comforting that I served it for dinner the other night. I had some farro grains in my freezer just waiting for me to do something special with them so this was their debut. And debut, they did!

The recipe was really easy to make and the flavors were so unique.  My boyfriend and I really enjoyed the dish.  He said it made him feel really healthy.  The cooked farro grains were delicious and just a little bit chewy.  I loved how the flavors of the farro grains and the roasted grapes blended together. The dish tasted wonderful and satisfying even on a hot Spring night in Georgia.

I didn’t get a photo of the dish because it begged to be eaten right away, but here’s a photo of the roasted grapes.
 
I had never roasted grapes before…it was so cool!  I’ll definitely be making this dish again and again.

If you haven’t noticed, I’ve fallen in love with ancient grains myself. That’s why I’m delighted to be able to give away a copy of Maria Speck’s new book.

 

To enter the giveaway:

• Please follow @MariaSpeck on twitter 
• Please follow @breadexperience on twitter
• Tweet the following: Enter the GIVEAWAY to WIN Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by @MariaSpeck from @breadexperience. Enter here: http://goo.gl/fb/2ZdLf
• Please leave a comment about the types of grains you like to cook or bake with (if any), or the types of grains you would like to see featured on the Bread Experience. 

 

Extra chances to win:

• Like Ancient Grains for Modern Meals Facebook page here.
• Like Bread Experience Facebook page here.
• With each action leave a comment (at the end of this blog post) saying you did so for up to a maximum of five comments per person.
• Drawing will be done randomly from all comments recorded.  Deadline to enter: Friday, June 3rd at midnight. Lucky winner to be announced by June 5th.

Shipping only in the US or Canada.
 
Thank you Maria and Ten Speed for providing me with a review copy and a giveaway copy for my readers.

I also want to thank Shulie of FoodWanderings for letting me borrow her creative giveaway ideas.

Floating Sesame Loaf

As I was thumbing through Maria Speck’s new book Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, I ran across this Floating Sesame Loaf recipe. I had never heard of a floating loaf before so I was intrigued to say the least.

The head notes to the recipe state, “If you are intimidated by yeast dough, try this surprising technique, which turns bread making into a game and puts an impressive loaf of bread on your table – effortlessly. This method takes all the guesswork out of yeast breads: no need to fuss with rising times, rising volumes, and temperatures.” 

I don’t know about you, but the terms “impressive and effortless” in the same sentence captured my attention. So I decided to try this unique method of making bread. 

Since I’m trying to do things one-handed as much as possible these days to let my injured arm heal, I needed a dough that I could manipulate fairly easily. This method turned out to be fun and easy.  It did require a little bit of shaping, but it was quick and didn’t hurt my arm.  I was able to document most of the steps with my camera so you can try this fun bread for yourself.

 

Floating Sesame Loaf Recipe

Reprinted with permission from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by Maria Speck, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups regular whole wheat or white whole wheat flour (10 3/4 ounces), plus 3 – 7 tablespoons as needed
• 5 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (see page 37)
• 2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (90 degrees F to 100 degrees F)
• Medium or coarse cornmeal for sprinkling

 

Directions:

1. Fill a stockpot or a 4-quart saucepan (about 5 inches high) with cold tap water to 1 inch below the rim.

2. Whisk together the whole wheat flour, 3 tablespoons of the sesame seeds, and the yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. 

   Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the water.

   

   Using a wooden spoon or dough whisk, and starting from the center, gradually stir in the flour until a pretty moist dough forms and all the flour has been incorporated.

   

3. Scrape the sticky mass onto a well-floured work surface.  Sprinkle with 1 scant tablespoon of flour.  Knead the dough with floured hands, incorporating additional flour by the 1/2 tablespoon just until the dough is supple and smooth with a slight tackiness, about 2 minutes.  I kneaded the dough in the bowl using one hand rather than kneading the dough on the counter using both hands.

   

   Depending on the flour you use and the humidity, you should need only 2 to 5 tablespoons of flour (the dough will continue to absorb more flour at the expense of lightness, but don’t add more!).

   Quickly form a round ball, folding any loose ends into the bottom, and gently deposit the dough into the water in the stockpot.

   

4. Meanwhile, position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and place a large baking sheet (or a 10-inch cast-iron skillet) on it. I used a baking stone. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. While you wait for the dough to rise, which typically takes 7 to 15 minutes (up to 30 minutes), sprinkle a 12 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper with cornmeal.  Generously flour your work surface.

5. Once the dough rises to the surface of the water (it will slowly puff like a balloon before popping up), remove it with both hands, letting excess water drain between your fingers. Transfer the dough – it will feel like wet clay – to the work surface.  Dry and then flour your hands, and dust the wet surface of the dough with 1 scant tablespoon flour.

   

   Working briskly, give the dough not more than a few gentle turns, adding flour by the 1/2 tablespoonful, and then gently stretch the “skin” or surface of the dough from the top to the bottom all around to form a ball with a few loose ends at the bottom.  (This stretching is a handy little step – otherwise your loaf might crack around the sides.) Kneading and shaping should not take longer than 40 seconds and should not incorporate more than 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour.  The dough can be quite slack, even stretchy.

   

6. Transfer the dough to the parchment paper.  It will look somewhat flat.  Cover with a dish towel (not terry cloth) and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.  After that, brush with water and gently press the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame seeds all over the surface. 

   

   Using a sharp knife, make three 1/4-inch-deep cuts across the loaf. 

   

   Transfer the parchment paper with the dough to the baking sheet (or set in the cast-iron pan or on the baking stone).

   

7. Bake until the loaf is well risen and light golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped (or when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 200 degrees F.), 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the parchment paper 10 minutes before the end of baking for a better crust.

   

   Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely – about 2 hours, for best flavor and texture – before cutting.  The loaf might have quite a crust at first, but it will soon soften nicely.

   

   I liked this method of making bread. I thought the bread tasted best toasted with butter or jam.  It reminded me of sesame seed bread sticks.  My main taste tester really liked it!

   

 

You might also enjoy these variations of the recipe:

Form a sesame ring: At the end of step 5, once you have formed the dough ball, create the ring.  Flour your hands.  Holding the dough in both hands, gently form a hole in the middle by pulling the center apart – first with both your thumbs from the top, and then molding it with the rest of your fingers from the bottom.  The hole should be at least 3 inches wide. 

Make a hazelnut-raisin loaf: Use naturally sweeter white whole wheat flour (instead of regular whole wheat) for a more appealing loaf, and add 1 tablespoon sugar (not 1 teaspoon).  Instead of sesame seeds, measure 1/4 cup dark raisins and 1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts.  Add the raisins and 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts to the dough in step 2 (instead of sesame seeds).  And in step 6, gently press the remaining 1/4 cup hazelnuts (instead of sesame seeds) all over the surface.

 

Thanks for joining me in the bread baking blog.  This bread has been YeastSpotted. Please visit Wild Yeast to view all of the lovely breads in the roundup.

 Sara Remington © 2011

 

Be sure to check out the Ancient Grains for Modern Meals Facebook page.

You can read my review of the book here.

Review of Ancient Grains for Modern Meals

I met Maria Speck a year ago on Facebook. At that time, she mentioned she was writing a book about whole grains. She also told me that she milled her own grains using a European grain mill. I’ve been milling a lot of my own grains for the past several years so I knew her book would be of special interest to me.

When Maria contacted me to see if I would like to review her new book, I didn’t hesitate. Ancient Grains for Modern Meals is a book about cooking with whole grains, not just bread, but I was delighted to have the opportunity to review it.  If you’ve been following my posts for the past several months, then you probably know that I’ve been featuring a different grain each month on my blog and in my newsletter.  I’ve also been experimenting with ancient grains so the timing of this book was perfect.

  Sara Remington © 2011

 

Ancient Grains for Modern Meals provides whole grain recipes for barley, farro, kamut, polenta, wheat berries, and more, all with a Mediterranean flair.  The author, Maria Speck, grew up in Greece and Germany before she moved to the United States so she brings a unique perspective to dishes made with whole grains.  If I was not already a lover of whole grains, I would be after reading her stories and trying her innovative recipes. 

The book is divided into seven chapters: 1) Breakfast, Brunch, & Breads; 2) Salads & Sides; 3) Soups & Stews; 4) Burgers, Savory Cakes, & More; 5) Pasta; 6) Modern Mains; and 7) Sweet Endings. 

So many of the recipes jumped out at me. I had a hard time deciding which ones to try. I mean, with names like Orange-Scented Scones with Dark Chocolate, Saffron Waffles with Orange Cream, and Pine Nut Bread with Fennel and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, what’s not to love! Then there’s the Greek-Style Cornbread with Feta and Thyme, Grain Burgers, Homemade Spelt Fettuccine, and a delicious-sounding Spelt Crust Pizza with Fennel, Prosciutto and Apples.  And, don’t even get me started on the desserts. My mouth has been watering for the Greek Walnut-Barley Cake or the Dark Chocolate Cake with Amaretto. Yum!

I was really tempted to post about the Tangerine-Lavender Coffee Cake. I love coffee cake and the flavors in this one sound divine, but then Maria tempted me further with a method for making bread that I had never heard of before. So I decided to try this unique recipe and method of making bread.  You know me, I’m not one to resist making a new type of bread especially one as fun as this one.

In order to keep this post to a reasonable length, I decided to post the recipe and directions for making it separately from the review.  Click here to learn about this mysterious and fun bread. 

In the meantime, check out Ancient Grains for Modern Meals. 

Maria’s goal is to transform the world into one planet of whole grain lovers.  If this book is any indication, I believe she may have just succeeded in moving that goal forward.  Her love of whole grains shines through the book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her experiences and learning the history behind the recipes.

Find out more about the book and interact with Maria on the Ancient Grains for Modern Meals Facebook page.