Bread - worthy of the effort - and the carbs!

So, for a few weeks now my friend Jennifer and I have been working on perfecting bread baking from scratch - and when I say from scratch - I mean it - like starting our own STARTER - I know - crazy shit huh? In other words no commercial bought yeast. We got the Tartine bread book and basically the first half of the whole book is how to do this - I'm not even going there on my blog - buy the book and then spend days, weeks trying to do it. All I will say is you basically mix flour and water and it "takes" the "wild yeast" from the air and starts bubbling after a couple days - and then you have to feed it and all sorts of other steps but seriously though, I think I'm hooked now. And who wouldn't be after taking this fucking gorgeous loaf out of the oven! I actually did a "I just baked this loaf of bread" jig in the kitchen when I pulled it out! Because see - this was not my first loaf - this was I think the 3rd batch... first one was terrible, about 1/2 this height (and yes I measured this one - about 4 and a half inches- hubba hubba!) and the second batch was pretty good - I did an olive one - but this one - oh baby! I just knew when I was turning it and shaping it that it was going to be a winner - and yes it tastes as good as it looks - I'll add a picture later with it cut open - but just had to tell you as I'm still a little giddy from making it.

Post Note: Ok, confession time. The recipe makes 2 loaves - this is the first one I baked - and then did my little happy jig around the kitchen. Then the second loaf - I was feeling so proud of myself that in my exquisitely happy state of mind I forgot to turn the oven down and it's a bit shall I say "browner" on the bottom. Oh well - just adds a bit of character.

Post Post Note: here's a couple more pictures!

See the beautiful airy holes?!

Not as light and airy olive loaf (1 of the 1st batches)