Wind and Bread

The wind is spooky on this damp day. I'm trying to welcome the season of the drafty cold house by wrapping myself in blankets and cuddling with my dog.

I have four sourdough loaves set up for rising. Lately I've given them four hours to rise before baking in my preheated 450 degree oven. First the dough incubates in a big plastic bucket in the fridge for a few nights. This slow cold rise develops the flavor, the yeast, and the gluten.

I never tire of growing my own loaves, a form of indoor farming. The dough is alive! The baking perfumes the house and the eating of the bread nourishes us throughout the week.