Cookbooks and the Guy I get to meet next tues

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Yeah Im a lucky duck, For Xmas I got two cookbooks by Alton Brown, and next tuesday (the 18th) I get to meet him. He's a famous food network cook for all you phillistines out there.

So now I have 3 AB cookbooks, and all of them are true fantastic. Why? Well for starters they teach principles of cooking rather than giving actual recipies. His best book, Im just here for more food, is the most detailed book on how to bake ever. Read it, and be amazed at the incredible scientific things happening, understand why you should measure flour by weight rather than by volume and why biscuits are hard to come by in europe. Ok I made the last one up, but its true, try getting Biscuits and Gravy in Belgium and see what I mean...

So anyone have a question for Alton.

[42]

My older brothers, all engineers and scientist, love Alton Brown's show and books. I really like his cooking too, though his acting occassionally grates on me.

So here would be my question (though my cooking knowledge is rather limited), how come European bread and American bread seem to taste so different? Same with their chocolate.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

thats a good question, Although I can answer the chocolate one pretty easily myself.

They use higher quality chocolate and dont add as much milk or any and they go light on the sugar.

As for the bread I suspect it has a lot to do with having real bakeries in Europe, (I dont think a lot of home baking goes on) real bakeries with proper ovens. It also has a lot to do with small batches as opposed to huge assembly lines made by machines.... American bread also tends to have a lot of filler, including cellulose (added through the use of sawdust) so it can be cheaper...

But its definately worth asking....

And Im also taking ideas for an original book inscription, (of course he'll do his own, but still)

[42]

I've heard that there is a humidity issues that makes European bread different. The rumor that I heard is that European bakeries use a volcanic stone, soaked with water, and then placed in the oven with the bread. Again, that is rumor. I never saw such a stone while I was in Europe.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

sandstone, and US bakers use it too, its like a hearthstone or a brick oven, actually I have one in my oven at home... It helps hold in heat. You can use bricks in the bottom of the oven to do the same thing. Water is only used for certain breads (french breads a great example) and sprayed a few times on loaves in the process of baking. I dont know about humidity issues between the State and Europe or not. More than likely its a combination of good water, good grain, experienced hands and luck. Humidity can change some things in the baking process, but a master baker can figure that kind of stuff out it just means adding more or less flour. Thats why measuring is important, and by measuring I mean weighing as flour can vary a lot in weight even if it takes the same volume.  I went to New York and a bakery there (which was excellent) had a whole computer system devoted to making the perfect bread, reading temperature, humidity and everything else you enter in those factors and it tells you everything you need to do. Like I said great bread....

[42]

See, this is one of many reasons that I wish I were independently wealthy with loads of free time.

Actually, I find that bread making isn't that time consuming if I plan well for it. Course, my erratic work/sleep schedule makes it hard to make reasonable plans. I also just lack the proper tools and equipment to make really good bread, not to mention a decent sized kitchen.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

You'd be surprised how little it takes...

10-20 bucks worth of brick or paving stone.  For the bottem of you oven....

An electric thermometer for your oven (precise temperature control is a must)

A big non reactive bowl or two- Pyrex, glass whatever.

a rolling pin like this http://www.surlatable.com/common/products/product_large_details.cfm?prrfnbr=249

Some bread pans or Bannetons
(very cheap)

possibly a sifter....

Flour, Water and yeast, possibly eggs

and a flat clean surface to work on

a pastry brush if you want to glaze you bread (use egg whites to get that shiny look)

Ok I threw a few extras in there

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

the thermometer is the biggest outlay, and you could get lucky...

The ones that work best are these... http://www.surlatable.com/common/products/product_details.cfm?dmode=browse&StartRow=1&CRPCGNBR=28&CGRFNBR=221&PRRFNBR=3867

the wire allows you to read the temp without opening the oven...

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

You probably need a good scale too, but that pays for itself.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

You probably need a good scale too, but that pays for itself.

You'll be amazed how much difference the stone makes...

[42]

Most of that stuff is out of my budget. In fact, most daily living expenses are out of my budget.

[42]

Also, I wouldn't have anyplace in my kitchen to put any of those things.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

thats a shame....

I suggest saving and using the Bishops Storehouse for some daily needs.

[42]

I get by, I'm not complaining, just wishing.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

been there...