any suggestions on making bread or rice in an Airstream?

[Rhonda]

Oops I see my typo now! Thanks for finding that.

[Yhottys]

We cook rice a little differently than as described in a previous post. We'll have to try cooking it that way.

We cook it in a sauce pan as well. We put in as much rice as we feel is necessary. We rinse it once and then we fill the pan with enough water to reach the FIRST line of one's finger (any finger) when inserted into the pan and resting on top of the rice.

We bring it to a boil and watch it until most of the water has evaporated and there are large "holes" in the still wet rice. We stir it, cover the pan with its lid and turn off the heat. Allow the rice to sit for ten to fifteen minutes on the stove - it should be done. (This method will not work with an induction burner.) No more burned rice - that is if you don't walk away from the stove while waiting for the rice to boil and the water to evaporate. (This is Gemma's method but she still manages to burn the rice more than she likes to admit. Multi-tasking does not work very well when cooking rice.)

We've never made bread in the Airstream but imagine that the trailer would smell amazing!

Good luck. Please let us know how things work out.

[Trex]

Cook in oven and heat water and put your rice in a pot...

[mcair]

We use a Pampered Chef rice cooker in the microwave. Works great and is easy to clean.

[n2916s]

A caveat -- I broke out the bakery stuff in Yellowstone the first year I worked there and had horrible results -- didn't occur to my pea brain that everything is different at 8000 feet...

1.5 times usual yeast and sugar to get a decent rise and bloom the yeast before adding.

mike

[Lily&Me]

We have always cooked rice in a saucepan on the stove, at home or on the road---follow the directions on your favorite brand. Simple and comes out great. People get too dependent on gadgets, IMO.

Baking homemade bread, biscuits, rolls, etc., is too gratifying an endeavor to not take it with you as you travel. A Dutch Oven works perfectly, as does a skillet with a lid on your burner for smaller quantities. (We are oven-less in our Interstate). I have brought with me frozen sourdough starter, in single-batch quantities, to try out this trip. Will let y'all know how it turns out.

While we prefer the from-scratch items, refrigerated and frozen bread/rolls and biscuits are pretty darn good, are quick and balance out nicely a meal of soup or leftovers.

Maggie

[cameront120]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

You know it's odd.... this is how my mother and every mother on the block used to cook rice. Going back to the simpler days - we all have to remember that food has been prepared for millenia without all of the gizmos and gadgets. It's COOKING not rocket science.

Paula

I was taught to cook it this way from my friends Chinese grandmother - she didn't use fancy rice cookers. My mother struggled with rice until I showed her this method.

[aname4me]

Thank you for your replies (an insights).

The consensus of the Household is.....
(do you say “Airhold” in an Airstream)

I like the microwave rice cooker. It sounds light. The BH has cooked many a meal of rice in a pot (on the stove), but the rice cooker is coming on board. It will be a 4 cup model with a steamer. She also uses the lid (glass wit a small hole) as a cover for the frypan. The pot will be the back up method for when there is no power.

I have a very small bread making machine that makes a tiny loaf in 45 minutes, but “tiny” for a bread machine is still not that small. I will be experimenting this spring with the No-Knead breads. I am sure the cast-iron Dutch oven is the best, but I (as of yet) don’t own one (and it sound really heavy) so I will start with my stainless steel Dutch oven (with the laminated bottom) and see how it goes.

Could some one tell me about their experience with a stone in the oven. Does it break when you travel. Is it stone like granite, or a fire brick (they go inside a wood stove)?

Thanks again for your help.

... the soon to be rookie

[Lily&Me]

When we talk about baking bread in a Dutch Oven, we are talking the cast iron type and charcoal. I don't know if an aluminum one will perform the same way. We resisted for a bit getting a Dutch Oven, but now carry two and they are worth their weight.

I experimented with a single loaf of bread recipe, and got that down pretty well. You could do the same with whatever ingredients are your favorite. Ours always starts with a bit of leftover oatmeal, warm milk, a bit of sugar, yeast and some wheat flour to make a sponge. Beat well with a wooden spoon, add a little oil or melted butter, salt and enough flour to hold it all together and knead, etc., as you would for a larger batch. Works well every time.

Good luck.

Maggie

[aname4me]

Thanks Maggie
I will keep my eye out for a cast iron oven.

In my bread... I keep a plastic pail of (mostly) cracked soya bean, flax, and 12-grain cereal. I add 3/4 cup to 1 cup water, microwave it for 2 minutes, let it sit for an hour or two (to soften) then add it when making the bread.

[WineStream]

I would suggest using the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day recipe. That is the recipe I have been using for the last 2 or 3 years. I ended up switching to sourdough to break away from store bought yeast, but the artisan bread is very good. You make the dough one day, let it rise for a few hours, then toss the dough in the fridge. It can stay in the fridge for a week or more and you just break off some dough whenever you want to make bread. I'm not a fan of white flour so this recipe is very forgiving. I grind my own flour and have added oats, rye and various seeds over the years and they have all been good.

I'm struggling with the rice too. If you are a fan of white rice, then I agree with others that cooking on the stove or the oven would work well. I've recently discovered that brown medium grain is our favorite. Brown long grain worked well in my cheap rice cooker, but medium grain is too al dente for us and it takes about 75 minutes. I'm considering going with a programmable rice cooker/slow cooker. Anybody used one of them for medium brown rice or sprouted brown rice? Brand recommendation other than zojirushi?

[Crusty]

Here's a honey whole wheat recipe that I make using a cheap breadmaker (stored in the bottom of my closet) every week.

1-1/2 cups distilled water
4 cups King Arthur whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup and 3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon malted milk powder
2 tablespoons wheat gluten
2 tablespoons butter
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Be sure to heat your water to 110-125º F and melt the butter before hand. I cook mine on the wheat cycle at the dark setting and this recipe always produces a delicious and moist 2 lb loaf. Using hard water instead of distilled will inhibit rising somewhat and the added wheat gluten is necessary to prevent the loaf from settling once it has risen. I slice mine into quite thin slices using an electric carving knife for sandwiches all week long.

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by WineStream

........ the artisan bread is very good. You make the dough one day, let it rise for a few hours, then toss the dough in the fridge. It can stay in the fridge for a week or more and you just break off some dough whenever you want to make bread.......

Just out of curiosity, what is it about this recipe that allows it to be kept in the refrigerator and not other doughs?

[aname4me]

OK, OK..... it is bread secrets time

-Honey is better then sugar... keeps the bread fresher longer
-Always add a tsp (or TBsp) lemon juice
-Always add 2 TBsp milk (or a 1/2C or more)
-Potato water is the best. When you drain your boiled potatoes NEVER throw it out. It will add 10-20% volume (and white dust to the top of the bread)

For beginners.... it is (usually) not you, or the yeast.
-it is the dry winter flour.... it require more liquid.

If I am traveling (flying) and I want to bring some bread for the trip.... I make a loaf with cornmeal (1/2C is C water, microwave it for 2 min) make a white loaf recipe, add extra honey an a 1/2C butter.

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by Crusty

Here's a honey whole wheat recipe that I make using a cheap breadmaker (stored in the bottom of my closet) every week.

Thats pretty close to my wheat bread recipe, I hate machine loaves though. after the first rise I put the dough in bread pans to finish up. I am giving serious thought to getting a mixer but have been putting it off due to not knowing what I really need to get. The electric knife is an interesting idea, slicing is one of the bigger problems I am having.

[aname4me]

When I made bread by hand..... I used a mixer to for the first half of the flour (and all the liquid). You need at least a 200W mixer. If you want to knead the dough... it has to be really big.

Now I use a mixer to cream butter (cookies and loaves), and for mash potatoes, I can't imagine bringing it on the AS though.

A quality bread knife will cost as much as an electric knife.... and doesn't need power.

[deauxrite]

I have posted a link that shows crock pot bread being made in a 27ft Airstream. The system works well and keeps the heat down in the trailer..and it makes great bread too!

YouTube - deauxrite's Channel

[WineStream]

Originally Posted by Boondocker

Just out of curiosity, what is it about this recipe that allows it to be kept in the refrigerator and not other doughs?

I would expect that most basic bread dough recipes can be kept for a while. This recipe only has flour, salt, yeast and water in it. I believe that the long slow rise allows more flavor to develop. There is a difference in taste from the first loaf made vs the last loaf made from the dough. We love a really crusty, dense, flavorful bread. This is not a bread for someone wanting a soft sandwich style bread.

[bugnot1]

Originally Posted by cameront120

I've never used a rice cooker. The simplest way to describe the ratio of rice to water is to touch the bottom of the pan with your finger. Fill the pan with rice up to your first knuckle. Now add enough water to reach your second knuckle. Add salt, if desired, and bring to a rapid boil. Immediately turn the flame to it's lowest setting and cover. Do not stir the rice! Let the concoction sit covered for 20 minutes or so and then check to see that the water is completely gone by exploring with a fork. Because each propane stove may heat a little differently, you may have to adjust your cooking time. Once you're used to it, it's very easy. If the burner is too hot, even at it's lowest setting, raise the pot with a wire cooling rack or wok ring.

That's the way to do it!!!!!

Jan

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by WineStream

I would expect that most basic bread dough recipes can be kept for a while. This recipe only has flour, salt, yeast and water in it. I believe that the long slow rise allows more flavor to develop. There is a difference in taste from the first loaf made vs the last loaf made from the dough. We love a really crusty, dense, flavorful bread. This is not a bread for someone wanting a soft sandwich style bread.

That sounds like my kind of bread, although I am more partial to multi grain.