2.19.2004

Day 4

A slice of the loaf I made Sunday is pictured here, 4 days later. It tastes as good today as it did then. Not quite as crunchy but still full flavored.

In Reinhart's book, he speaks of the famous Poilâne family of Paris. They make a wheat bread that is shipped all over the world. I've had it. It's very old school. Every baker in the Poilâne family of bakeries sees each loaf through from "cradle to grave". From development of the starter to final baking. Reinhart even claims that Max Poilâne believed his bread to be better by the fifth day than on the first. He made and sold a loaf that was several pounds in mass and was meant to feed a family for a good fraction of a week.

I'm not saying I've achieved anything close to a Pain Poilâne, but that rustic country loaf was darn good and fed us a good chunk of the week with a hearty bread that was still tasty 4 days later. I'm proud of it and will try to repeat it soon.