Hittenstiehl's Meanderings

[Lily&Me]

Very clever, Hittenstiehl.


Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Guess what's in the pretty bowls....Yep...2 loaves of soon to be baked fresh bread coming to a campground near you.

We were going to make something different but several fellow Airstreamers asked if we were going to bake bread again.

So, yes, we will bake and break bread.

[Lily&Me]

Yum!

Mind your heat this time.

Have fun.


Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Thx Maggie also going to let it rest well this time. Practice makes good.

[Hittenstiehl]

So a drizzly weekend but a good time was had by all. I love how we would rather camp in the rain than go back to work on a sunny day.

We did however not get bread this trip.

I believe it failed to rise to the ocassion. 🤔

I prepped it in plenty of time at home before we left. Placed it in a plastic bowl with a plastic lid. We then drove north and gained about 2300 ft in elevation and some humidity. It sat on a flat surface in the car but of course it was not a totally smooth ride.

It sat in the chilly (48 to 60 degrees)damp trailer until the next morning. When I took the plastic lids off for final prep I was thinking it had not risen much but I could not quite tell. I gave it the minor folds into itself and put it back in the bowl for one hour while we pre heated the Dutch ovens under an pop up awning as it was raining.

Baked according to directions and when we took it out it looked good in color but the shape and weight but didn't feel right. Kinda wide and squatty versus full, high and round. After it cooled and rested the cut showed a pretty but very firm crust with a dense doughy center.

Took it to the clubhouse and put it in the oven in case it was salvageable but it didn't get any better.

So we offered up cheese, almond m&m's and mixed nuts at potluck instead. As with most potlucks there was plenty of everything and the bread as not missed.

So still a work in progress:
Maybe temps and humidity
Maybe age of flour & yeast
Maybe plastic lids to tight
Maybe didn't like bumpy ride
Maybe rested to long (22 hrs)
Maybe DO's to big

Just means gotta make another loaf. Try again.

[Lily&Me]

Hmmm...glad you had a good gathering but sorry about the bread.

You're sure the yeast was in there, and the salt?...two very important ingredients.

If your water was too hot, that would kill your yeast dead, and your dough will do nothing...you want water no warmer than baby's milk or bath water...warm, not hot.

Even in cool temps, the dough will rise...even in the frig, it will rise...and a bumpy road shouldn't affect it.

Sounds like a yeast issue to me. I always keep mine in the frig, it will keep near forever refrigerated.

Looking at your bowls, if they were sealed tightly that would be an issue...you want loosely covered. I use one of those shower cap style plastic bowl covers. The dough needs to be able to breathe.

Back in my traditional bread days, I covered bowls of rising dough with waxed paper and a dish towel.

You're right...try again.

Every novice bread baker has had failed loaves, it's how we learn.


Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Thx Maggie, sounds right because we have had previous success in inclement weather.

I'm going to check dates on my flour and yeast to make sure they were fresh.

I will also start keeping the yeast in fridge with the gluten.

Thanks and enjoy the rest of your mild NY weather.

[Lily&Me]

I have made bread with flour that was months old....even if it is rancid , that would affect the taste but not the rise.


Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Maggie do you use the standard little packets of sealed yeast and take your measurement out of it.

[Lily&Me]

No, I buy yeast in bulk, measuring 1/2 tsp per loaf.

I buy 8 oz of yeast every couple of years, and keep it in a sealed container in the frig.

There's nothing wrong with the packets, but I still think it's good to keep them in the frig.

Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Okay I'm going to try that also. Especially since I'm baking this bread more often.

I haven't used much yeast in years past so usually bought the packets. But then if you don't need the whole packet you've got these funky little left overs in a not tight container.

Read a great post last night with photos, about yeast on the King Arthur's blog. Very informative.

[Lily&Me]

I think you can find 1lb, vacuum sealed packages of yeast at the big box stores...pour it into a jar, seal it up, and put it in your freezer.

It will keep for years.


Maggie

[NoResults]

It would be interesting to meet (hittenstiehl) as I have never seen better card making skills than my wife.

Have friends that keep the cards for years that she sends for birthdays, etc.

Dave

[Hittenstiehl]

Well we might just have to meet up on the road someday and she and I can share ideas and make some cards together.

We had a great afternoon at the Cardmaking. Being that it was rainy it gave the ladies a fun way to spend part of the afternoon.

I hung some samples on a little rack so they could get ideas.

We had maybe 12 ladies some who had never done anything like it and several who had but learned some new ways or products.

It was fun to watch them personalize their cards and one lady made a little piece of art work instead to hang on her trailer wall.

We mostly used the embossing powder method of stamping as it gives a nice dimension to the card and the silver powder makes shiney little trailers.

[Hittenstiehl]

So we (I) have always been enamoured with big old cars. No particular make or model but just in general.

We've looked casually over the years. Stopped on corners, called a few numbers, dreamed about the beautiful lines and styling but never was it just right.

But last week it all came together.

We needed this like we needed another hole in our heads. But, life is full of rationalisations​ and justifications. At our house we call that R&J. We try not to do to much of that. Try not to confuse our want with our needs. And usually sleep and pray on the big decisions.

So after all that we added this absolute beauty to our plate.

An absolute stunning, needs some work, 1960 Chrysler Imperial with the most delightful hideous wings and beautiful dashboard.

Hope to make it a weekend driver and a Airstream tow vehicle. She's got a big strong 415 V8 so she will be able to tow the girls with ease.

Some people have cabins, investments and fancy vacations (those things are all good, worthy and deserved) we have vintage camping dreams in our present and future.

Towing her home after Easter more pics then.

[OTRA15]

What a beauty! Amazing what Detroit came out with when gas was in the teens, and the post-WW II skies were the limit. Have fun with the new car, and thanks for the "R&J" moniker. We know that process all too well, but never had an acronym for it.

As a new tow vehicle? Wow what a match!

Peter

[Lily&Me]

Now, that is beautiful!

What a find.

Doug loved old cars. We would spy them when traveling, he could name make, model and year most of the time.

Enjoy.


Maggie

[Dingo Girl]

Beautiful! It will be like driving a bowling alley. :-)

[Hittenstiehl]

Dingo I love that analogy, I have referred to those big cars as boats but I think I will change it to bowling alley.

[Lily&Me]

It also kind of reminds one of bowling alleys, bobby socks, rock'n'roll...


Maggie