In My Kitchen - Strictly Food for Thought

During the last few decades, we have experienced a quiet breadrevolution with the appearance of artisan bread on store shelvesand in markets throughout the country. Google defines “artisan”as a high quality, hand-crafted bread containing no artificialingredients or preservatives. In my research, I am discovering thatWEST SIDE BALLROOM, INC.Banquets, Weddings,Conferences & Any Occasions,On-Site Catering, Business Seminars,Retirement Parties, Sit Down or Buffet,Competitive PricingAccommodates 350WDashnawjr@primelink1.net(518) 324-4777www.westsideballroom.net253 New York Road, Plattsburgh, NY“artisan” has more to do with the way the bread is made than theform. In other words, ordinary white bread baked in a loaf panqualifies if it is handmade and developed slowly in small batches.The movement started as a reaction against commercial breadbakingwith lots of yeast and dough conditioners to make largemass-produced quantities in a hurry. Low leaven and long fermentare the two critical keys to artisan baking.In the North Country, one of the best destinations forartisanal bread is in Essex County hamlet of Wadhams. PhilMerrick learned the craft of baking bread in Southern Californiain the mid 90’s with Frederick Holmshaw. In 2001, he moved east,found an old feed store in Wadhams, built a wood fired oven, andopened Merricks Bread and Coffee. There he baked baguettes,sourdough, seven-grain, olive, jalapeno-cheddar, and otherspecialty breads.In 2007, Keri Fair called Phil from Purcellville, VA for adviceabout how to build an oven in her backyard so she could makebread for a farmers’ market. That same year Phil met and fallenin love with Burlington artist Jodi Whalen. He ended up sellingthe bakery to Keri and her family, moved to Burlington andopened another bakery, August First. Keri renamed the Wadhamsbakery Dogwood.The oven Phil built at Dogwood Bakery is a retained heatmasonry bake oven. The revival of this ancient technology hasspawned an elite class of baking ovens that turn out breads withespecially thick, flavorful crusts and moist interiors that areimpossible to make in a conventional oven. At Dogwood, the ovenis fired the afternoon before baking with plank slab wood froma local mill. By 5 am the next morning the wood has turned toash. After cleaning out the oven, Keri and her crew start bakingat a temperature of 600 degrees. The oven’s high grade bricks,cement and ceramic insulation maintain a near constant temperaturefor hours.When I arrived for a night of mixing in early January the bakeryhad been closed for the holidays and the temperature was afrigid one degree outside. Wood is used to heat the whole place and it30 Strictly Food for Thought | February 2013