Week VII: Micro-Bakery Dec. 3

Well folks, another Saturday, another bake. I dubbed this week's loaf the 'Via Media Levain,' because it's made with 50/50 bread flour and whole wheat flour, the middle way between white bread and whole wheat bread. Like last week's bake, I gave the bread some extra time to ferment (about 12 hours), so it got nice and sour. I'm still trying to discern which of my subscribers prefer the acidic flavor, and which don't. If everyone likes it I'll keep pushing the sour flavor. If not, it's just a matter of cutting down on the time, and voila, a more balanced flavor.

And speaking of balance, my friend Tom and I were riffing last night on the idea of seeking balance in our lives. We agreed that balance is a verb we work at, rather than a noun we attain. And I decided that bread has a similar resonance for me. Bread is something I do, a way of being I settle into, rather than a place I arrive. There is always more to learn, more to improve, more to explore. We need "bread" in our lives, labors of wisdom that cause us to realize we are made whole in the seeking, rather than the grasping.

Today was another beautiful day to cruise around town with warm bread in my bike basket. I got to chat with many blessed friends, and at the end, to layer miracle upon miracle, I got to eat Banana Caramel Cake in the park for Blanche's birthday (Happy Birthday Blanche, thou neighbor and friend!). In my mind, you can't really ask for a better day.