"Towards Pumpernickel" The Project

After a couple weeks of helping my friend Howie with ideas for his next food project, it finally dawned on me "wait, i'm the one who isn't working. I should be doing this!" In truth I'm working on an idea that I've taken a false start at before - making my father the dark russian pumpernickel that he really loves. It's hard to find good versions. Whole Foods has one, but only sometimes. And there's not much I can do for my Dad, so I just cook stuff he likes.

I'm not really sure I've got the baker gene at all which will add to the challenge. I think of myself as more of a cook. I've only recently gotten comfortable modifying recipes or attempting to cook without one. But this is still the exception for me. I went through a summer of trying to learn pie making once. Made some really good fillings. Got the best reviews on my pie crust when I used refrigerated pillsbury crust without telling anyone. I do know enough to realize that I probably need to learn the basics of making bread first, before trying more complex whole grain varieties.

I've only ever made one type of bread successfully, and that was a recipe designed for first time bread bakers. I'll probably make that again as a good first step to jump in and start trying to learn to bake. Dough always seems a little daunting to me. My first goal will not to psych myself out and let it intimidate me. Might also try the "no knead" recipe that Mark Bittman has promoted as good non-threatening opening act.

Today I finally replaced my loaf pans which were lost in my last move. Starting the blog I'm now publicly declaring that I'm doing this so I can't bail out. Now I'll get the oven door fixed and we'll be off and running! Goal: pumpernickel good enough for Dad.