07/04/07

Herb Bread

I have been hit by the baker's version of writer's block lately. The more I bake, the more dissatisfied I am with the results. What I really need is some inspiration. Maybe what I need is to eat some really good breads but then, these are hard to come by.

I have probably eaten most of the artisan breads available here in Singapore. Some are good and some are bad. As a baker, I understand that you don't get good results all the time and consistency is the hallmark of a master. So when I get a bad loaf from the established bakeries here, I do not complain.

This week, I could not think of anything exciting to bake but since there is no bread left at home, I had to bake some and in a way, I was inspired to bake some herb bread after eating the herb panini from Giant Supermarket. The store nearby now offers a range of European style breads at very low prices. I saw a lady talking to the baker, a young man named Franz. I had no clue to his nationality but I guessed from his name that he might be Austrian. I was very tempted to talk to him about the breads produced by him but then, it was 8.30 am and he looked busy.

I used my favorite Vietnamese Coriander and baked it an extra 10 minutes to get a darker crust. The breads were 70% hydration with 2 T olive oil and 4 T milk powder.