First Hard Frost

It happened last night. The sweet potato vines are toast. So are the tomato plants. So is the basil. That's as it should be. Those are heat-loving plants, too delicate for cold temperatures. We knew it was coming so last evening Dennis harvested all the tomatoes, such as they are. Some of the tomatoes went into last night's salad along with chopped red pepper.

This morning some of the row covers had blown off, but the uncovered turnips and escarole are just fine. The sweet potatoes are blackened and dead. We will need to dig the potatoes today. As for the parsley, it will keep going long after all the other plants have given up the ghost.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, I was taking bread out of the oven. The dark brown specks are bits of ground flax seed.

Should I post the recipe? Oh, why not! I've been tinkering with it for years and finally have it just right.

Mostly Whole Wheat Bread

Sponge:

2 packages yeast (I use only 1/2 teaspoon)

2 cups lukewarm water

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

Additional ingredients:

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup honey, brown sugar or molasses (optional)

4 to 5 cups whole wheat flour, using 3 tablespoons ground flax seed as part of one cup

Make a sponge:

Sprinkle yeast over the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a fork until dissolved. Add the remaining sponge ingredients. Beat well until smooth. Cover with a towel and set in a warm spot until light and bubbly, about an hour. (I use my mixer and leave the sponge in the mixer bowl, covered with plastic.) The sponge will have grown and will be bubbly.

When the sponge is bubbly, add the additional water, oil, honey (if used) and enough whole wheat flour to make a soft, workable dough. When the amount of flour is correct, the dough will pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board or cloth and knead until smooth and bouncy, about 10 minutes, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. (If you use dough hook in a mixer, continue kneading in the mixer for 5 or 6 minutes, then turn out onto a floured cloth and knead for about a minute to finish.) 

Place dough in a warm, oiled bowl, turning to coat the top, Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel. Set in a warm spot until double in bulk.

Turn dough out on a board and knead lightly. Cover with a towel and allow to rest 10 minutes. Divide in 3 portions and shape into loaves. Place in buttered 8-1/2 by 4-1/2-inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise until the dough curves slightly over tops of pans, about 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Turn out on racks to cool. Brush with melted butter if a soft crust is desired.

The dough also could be divided in half and baked in 9-inch pans for 45 minutes.

Summer is a distant memory now. I'm not sorry.

Copyright, 2012 Shirley Domer