Welcome to the very first Wordloaf weekly open thread post! The idea here is simple: Talk amongst yourselves, using the comment thread below.
Let’s use this space to get to know one another and to share questions, triumphs, setbacks, in our bread baking (and otherwise). Whatever you want—it’s a community space. I’ll be here to answer questions or comments directed to me, but I want this to be as much a group conversation as it is a town hall with me at the podium.
When I teach in-person classes (*sigh*, someday), I usually begin by going around the room and asking people to answer a few simple questions about themselves, to gauge the vibe and gain a sense of what people are hoping to come away with once the class is done.
Let’s try something like that with this first thread. Tell us all a little bit about yourself and your relationship to baking bread, starting with the following questions:
What is your name and where do you live?
How long you’ve been subscribing to Wordloaf?
What is your bread baking experience?
What are one or two bread skills or recipes you’d like to tackle and want help with?
Anything else you’d like to share…
Okay, let’s do this! (Please don’t be shy, pretend you are in class and everyone is doing it too.)
By the way, this Wednesday’s newsletter will be a guest post that I am extremely excited about, as it is a chapter from Kate Lebo’s The Book of Difficult Fruit, a book that I just adore. (I’ve been on a bit of a fruit kick here lately, I know, but I promise you that this excerpt is definitely bread-adjacent.)
—Andrew
Hi! I'm Greg from southern New Jersey. I've been subscribed to Wordloaf since April 2020 and have loved following along with all the recipes, updates, and Friday bread baskets. I've been baking bread for about 5 years, although much more casually until the pandemic started (never made sourdough before the #quarantinystarter). I'd be interested in learning more about baguettes, either through a class or recipe. I am especially interested in a recipe that lends itself well to demi-baguettes that can fit inside a Challenger bread pan. Also, thanks to Andrew for shouting out the Artisan Grains Collaborative survey a few months back—I ended up winning their gift basket and have been enjoying it immensely!
Hi all! My name is Kathryn and I live in southern NH. I've been baking bread for many years starting with the simple loaves and whole wheat "bricks" of the 80s up to mostly sourdough and rye breads today. I had a Alan Scott style wood fired brick oven built and have been playing with baking in that recently. I've been subscribing to Wordloaf since the beginning. I'd definitely like to learn more about shaping. I'm also interested in breads from other countries and cultures.