Rocket Fuel for Runners
For decades members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been counseled to keep adequate food storage as a part of emergency preparedness. Last night, Colleen taught the sisters in our ward how to make naturally leavened bread. The sisters were surprised that with just water, salt, and fresh-ground whole wheat flour you could make bread loaves that rise up beautifully, and that you could use the dough to make all sorts of delectable bread delights, such as cinnamon rolls, foccacia bread, pizza, flat bread, and even braided bread desserts. Once you get a feel for this friendly dough, you are limited only by your imagination.
Naturally Leavened Bread
What is naturally leavened bread? Years ago, before the bread-making industry was commercialized, naturally leavened bread was the bread everyone used in their daily lives. This was back before the grain-related disorders so many suffer from today.
With a sourdough start, you could whip up a batch of dough in about ten minutes, allow it to rise slowly, punch it down and form it into loaves, allow it to rise once again, then cook it. You could add sweeteners if you wanted such as molasses, honey, or sugar, but most folks didn't because you could simply add a daub of butter and honey to a slice of sourdough bread after it was cooked and you used a whole lot less honey to sweeten your bread.
Commercial Bread-Making Industry
Well, the commercial bread-making industry figured out how to isolate strains of yeast that made bread raise very quickly compared to the old-fashion bread-making method; soon sourdough starts became a thing of the past for most of us. What we didn't know when we traded Old-World leavening techniques for quick-rise yeasts, is that not everything in wheat is good for you. In fact, there are several elements in wheat that are down-right problematic and that have led to grain intolerances in about 20 percent of today's population.
When you compare what happens to the bread when it is leavened with commercial yeasts versus a good sourdough starter, another story unfolds. The quick-rise yeasts do absolutely nothing to neutralize the harmful elements found in wheat. With commerical yeast, the bread rises; it looks like bread; it smells like bread; and it tastes like bread. The problem is, the commerical yeast only causes the bread to rise; it doesn't neutralize any of the harmful effects of wheat.
The Smart Choice
Now let's look at what happens when you use a really good sourdough starter. The sourdough starter contains several natural strains of friendly bacteria and yeasts that also cause bread to rise; however, these friendly bacteria also neutralize the harmful effects of the grain. They neutralize phytic acids that otherwise prevent minerals found in the grain from being absorbed properly; they predigest the gluten, and they also neutralize lignans and tanins found in wheat.
When you master the old-fashioned way of making bread, you introduce friendly little critters into your dough that predigest the grain and neutralize the harmful effects associated with grain. And for all you faithful who have stored or squirreled away bags and buckets of wheat for food storage, you can now turn it into a useful commodity you can enjoy for everyday living that is inexpensive, practical, and healthful.
Get a Good Starter and Get Going!
Colleen and I use a sourdough starter that has been kept going since the early 1800s, for well over 150 years. It's a really great starter and is a breeze to work with. If you would like to have fun learning to make bread the way it should be made do the following:
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Thank you for all the info on making naturally leavened bread. I made the starter outlined in Peter Reinhart's book "The Breadmaker's Apprentice." I made two loaves of one of Reinhart's recipes yesterday, with help from your instructions. Today I am baking the whole wheat loaves shown in your video. I'm totally excited. :)
Awesome, if you have any questions as you go, feel free to ask. It took us a few tries but once you get the hang of it, it is easy-peasy:)
Kristen said:
Thank you for all the info on making naturally leavened bread. I made the starter outlined in Peter Reinhart's book "The Breadmaker's Apprentice." I made two loaves of one of Reinhart's recipes yesterday, with help from your instructions. Today I am baking the whole wheat loaves shown in your video. I'm totally excited. :)
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