BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:20 PM

If you visit that first link Spaw posted you'll find a couple of my standard recipes down near the bottom. I have tried some different flours over the years, but the proportions are about the same. On my whole wheat bread I use 1 1/4 cup whole wheat and 2 3/4 cups white and it still works okay on the manual setting for white bread (on the DAK machine).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Lorne's wife
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:31 PM

Excellent bread making book: "Bread Machine- how to prepare and bake the perfect loaf" by Jennie Shapter published by Hermes House ISBN 1 84309 399 5
(Got mine in a National Trust gift shop.)


Sourdough section includes French couronne, honey and beer rye bread, pane all'olio (uses a biga starter), proper ciabatta, challah and San Fracisco-style sourdough. (This one takes up to 6 days to make the sour dough starter.)

Measurements in imperial, metric and by volume.


Lorne's wife.

ps. if the machine walks, maybe your dough is a bit stiff?

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Rowan
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:35 PM

If you freeze your flour, it's a good idea to use all of what you subsequently thaw as soon as it's thawed.

Freezing dried specimens of plant material in a sealed container is the standard method of killing all insects, mites (which are arachnids rather tham insects), whether as eggs, all their respective larval stages or as adults. Three days would be enough for most things consumed domestically but herbaria, where specimens may be woody and substantial and must meet quarantine criteria, will keep them frozen and sealed for a month. Prolonged freezing is known to denature most vitamins.

Freezing delays bacterial growth and fungal growth but domestic freezers may not kill all the fungi and bacteria present, which is why herbarium specimens are dried out or preserved in various liquids, usually containing at least some alcohol.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Janie
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 12:08 AM

I keep them stored in the freezer because I can never entirely rid the place of the moths. I live in a creaky, cattywhumped old house. The back of the closets and cupboards is the original beadboard, none of the joints or panels are flush, there are little cracks and crevices everywhere. A few of the little boogers always seem to escape a thorough turn-out of the cabinets and soon multiply to infest anything not in a tin can in just a couple of months. Sticky traps help, but anything grain not eaten within a week is doomed to nurture a new generation.

If I could completely eliminate the moths from the house and cupboards, then I'd just freeze grain products long enough to kill any eggs that might be brought in.

In their mature, moth state, they may be emmissaries of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Maybe I should just designate the cupboards a shrine?

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 03:30 PM

Janie - Indian meal moths are huge pests here in Southern California and I also must take extreme measures to keep from having a seriuous infestation.

I have found that the most likely carriers of the eggs or larvae are usually baking mixes from the supermarket or pasta. With pasta it seems to be the kind that comes in cardboard boxes. With baking mixes, even if they come in cello-bags inside the boxes, they can still contain larvae cuz them nasty little larvae gots sharp teefers and can chomp their way in via itsy bitsy holes. Cornmeal and corn based mixes are the WORST offenders with cake mizes coming in a close second.

I store all my moth-likely foods in airtight containers that I then seal up with clear plastic packing tape. i date the items with the day I sealed it as well as the date it was purchased and the palce it came from in the event of infestation. That way if I open it up and see dead adults, I know they arrived as eggs or larvae in that food product.

I also use moth traps. I know that various websites claim that the sticky traps are inneffective and for years I believed that. then I finally bought some when Gardens Alive was having a $25 off $25 purcahse discount code special and I got a bunch for free. Man oh man what a difference a half dozen traps in the kitchen can make! I have them up near every cupboard, over the sink and over the trash can. I replace them every couple of weeks or sooner if need be and it has kept my foods reasonably moth-free ever since I began using them.

I'll come b ack here and post a link to the place that sells them. Their cockroach traps are great too - no pesticides either. Here in los Angeles we have "water Bugs" which are just huge mexican cockroaches and everyone has 'em no matter how clean you keep your home. Using the raps helps keep them to a bare minimum and the plus is your pets can't be harmed from them.

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 03:39 PM

I remember silverfish growing up in southern Kansas. Haven't seen a silverfish (bug) for years. Just as well. I keep saying if you put the flour, meal, mix, etc. in the deep freeze for a week it will kill the eggs and larvae, THEN seal it up so no more can get in.

Here, it's weevil eggs/larvae. Don't tell my family but I usually just strain out the dead shells and use the stuff anyway. Cooking will kill the rest of the beasties. Besides, it's just protein.

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: gnu
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 04:07 AM

Sorcha... hehehe... does anyone ask for your "secret recipe"?

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 09:15 AM

Sorcha - an Italian neighbor of mine swore by a stick of peppermint gum added to flour and meal to keep away silverfish and other bugs but I have no real experience with that. Just thought I'd mention it.

You can buy the Meal moth Traps at the Gardens Alive website. Go there and register for email notices of deals & discounts and sooner or later you'll get a code for $20 off a $40 purchase or better and you can get them essentially 2 for 1.

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 10:26 PM

Salt - commercial bakers add more so that the loaves will last for extended sale - if you are home baking and consume within 24 hours, you need far less.

"it's volume came to 200ml, whereas the Oz cup was (from memory) 250ml."

It's now common that (imported into Aus) cheap plastic cup measures are often only 200 ml.

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 11:45 PM

OK, Sorcha / Dave's Wife / Rowan / et al - slight thread creep here - what's the best way to deal with Silverfish infestations amongst your books and your paperwork and your wool&yarn collection???!!! Freezing them, one at a time, just ain't gonna work for me!!!!!


Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: rich-joy
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 11:48 PM

sorry - that "GUEST" was me, having lost my cookie ....

Cheers! Rich-Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 01:49 AM

It may be slow for silver fish, but it is a great way to safely dry out a book that has gotten wet. Now that's thread creep!

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 04:00 PM

Ummm - stick a stick of peppermint gum between every page?

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 08:51 PM

Freezing.

Subject: RE: BS: Automatic Bread Machine (Maker)
From: rich-joy
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 06:47 AM

.......... sigh ..........

but thanks :~)

R-J