While googling for a "Single row moulder" for the tractor I came across this web page [url=http://www.oshikiri.com/products/0retail/0homeline.htm][b]here[/b][/url].
This only made me laugh, as I wouldn't have thought a "row moulder" would exist for bread making.
However I soon stopped laughing when I came to this part:
[i]"Divided and rounded dough pieces are irradiated by microwave to rise dough temperature about 5°C, which leads to promotion of relaxation of dough structure, expansion of gas in the dough, and acceleration/shortening of proofing time by helping fermentation of yeast."[/i]
That, I must admit, rather shocked me.
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Our dear googlesleuth Carla, I believe you have stumbled upon the secret of mass-manufacturing Taste-deficient Bread!
Nice link Carla?..but sigh ?.its just you can?t appreciate the value of such device.based upon your limited perspective
Techpoh ?.its not wise to prejudge such newfangled equipment will likely produce inferior quality bread?.
Taste deficiency will likely be the comment of a bread consumer that was used to the strong flavors of sourdough?.no different from an average Indian national that can?t find anything palatable in a food( or experience taste deficiency) if curry is absent?.
Slight microwave heating have an influence on the speed of proofing to an otherwise sluggish dough , as compared if its allowed to equilibrate for a longer time by just exposing it to ambient temperature.
A slight jerk through the? courtesy ?of microwave energy would likely spur it up to optimum proofing performance by promoting uniform dough temperature throughout the dough piece.
From the functional point?.a controlled input of microwave energy will force the water molecules in the dough to vibrate in high frequency resulting in increase in dough temperature as well as the extensibility of gluten.
The microwaves have an effect on the hydrogen bonds in the tertiary-secondary structure of the gluten protein permitting it to relax. The result will be extensible dough that will yield easily to expansion by the micro-organism responsible for leavening promoting better bread volume.
Thanks for the education, chembake. In my little bird mind, I was thinking all this hastening of the bread process doesn't give ample chance for the bread to develop its flavour. And, I had my tongue in the cheek at that time I believe. My intention wasn't to demean machines and pros who have done much research in that area. My apologies.
Won't that microwave cook it though from the innards out?
Hi Chembake! Happy New Year and hope you mind my sticking my two bits in here!
Ladies, Ta!
Can't see how it will have a positive effect on the flavour - wouldn't it be better to wait until the bread is properly proved which as we all know will happen in time? Surely climate and temperature fluctuations are vital to the character in our bread and its living process.
Don't have a microwave because I don't want my food zapped by that sort of thing.
Can't scientists spend their time in useful projects that improve quality of life?
Best wishes
Pab
Well, these inventions are for industrial users, where time is money.
Pab, I'm rather surprised you don't have a microwave. I didn't have one until 3 yrs ago...and I got the smallest just to do melting (chocolate and gelatine), not even for reheating food.
TP, I accept that they have their uses, but it's something of a rebellion against their overuse by me. I do consider them a surprisingly good tool for 'steaming' fish, oddly enough.
Certain British eating out venues use them something chronic and often in a shabby manner - yuck! Not to mention the amount of disgusting convenience food chucked in them and possibly made even worse.
I'm sure you get my drift.
Great looking loaf you posted earlier - should we have an art challenge next. I'm serious...
Best wishes
Pete
Just my opinion to this subject (in my rude abrupt germanic manner):
I do not have a microwave and I try not to eat irradiated foods if I can help it.
Restaurants that have their wares in a cool display cabinet and then zap them for the diners are not the places I want to eat.
So how come we now have factory breads made with genetically modified soybeans (I have never needed soybeans to bake breads) and irradiated dough without any labelling whatsoever?
It seems the customer is now just told what is good for them without being asked or even offered a choice.
And don't tell me that without these "improvements" we could not produce cheap enough bread for everyone on the planet...
Ditto Carla,
although I don't personally have one at home I use it at work, guilty! We used to have a microwave at home to re-heat food, when it blew out and died we never went back, slow is better!
Jeremy
Well said, Carla - I agree with you on everything you have said on food.
No criticism of your manner - I have found the Germans a most polite and civilised race anyway. We northern English (where I was brought up) are often accused of bluntness or directness of speech, by the way.
What does a good restaurant use a microwave for, Jeremy? Do I want to know? Slow is better!
TP, I am about to post on Alex Croquet again (top French baker, who does things slow, amongst other things) as I managed to visit and buy his fantastic bread last Sunday. His is not a huge operation but I am sure the greedy ******** in the factories could do better if they simply made an effort above simple expediency and profit.
Pete
Pab, it's to reheat stuff when were in the s^%t! Like a stew?
Jeremy
LOL, I think ALL of us here are pretty direct and honest. The way it should be.
Pete, your Art Challenge idea is super! Next week, next week. I'm sorry, I might have missed it, but when did you last post on Alex Croquet? 'nite!
TP and everyone - 'Art Challenge' because a lot of peope are OK at making food taste good not so good at making things look nice! Lest anybody starts to get offended I mean me in particular. Moreover it will be good photo opportunities for the site and the intrepid who post so skilfully.
I've noticed that a few rules were put in for the 'Bag' challenge, anyone got some ideas for this? I think we should at least stretch to anything baked like cakes and pastries where the artwork is so important.
To get things rolling here's an exquisite 'Swan' made of choux pastry that I bought in France. Simple in many ways but very effective.
[img]http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m126/Parnie57/DSCN2839.jpg[/img]
Should we open a new thread and if so where?
Best wishes
Pete
PS I last posted on Alex Croquet on Dan's site in September - when I have posted the continuation to the thread, I will add a link here.
Would have posted earlier, but my connection is still dodgy.
Pete...methinks Open Talk is where the inspiring Art Thread should be. Envy your proximity to France and her delectables.
[quote]
Pete...methinks Open Talk is where the inspiring Art Thread should be. Envy your proximity to France and her delectables.
[/quote]
Ditto on that TP, looks like you bit off the beak on the swan Pab! Gosh we used to make those in school, seems so retro, but that is what I love about France, the taste and the food culture are so deeply ingrained, hopefully it keeps from getting interference from our American stamp on everything from television to well....bad taste!
Jeremy
Only bashed about in my car a bit, Jeremy. UK has been badly influenced by US, France is moving in its own direction. As for me, I have no doubt that there are lots of great things in the US but am bemused as to what is imported here - moral, political, cultural, linguistic etc. Sometimes I wonder if the so called US influence is over stated and that states often move in parallel directions anyway.
As for the grub - I am particularly fond of choux and will try my hand at some art.
What is cutting edge in the US in terms of visual food presentation? I've seen some various things here over the years...
Pete
Funny you ask, fusion of course but it seems to fluctuate on a whim of market trends in food or what critics write about, I am sort of out of the loop in my job, insulated enviornment, so I try to do like some of the modern artists like Picasso (not trying to sound to self-important) like when he he would do a Velasquez in his own way, understood?
Jeremy
Jeremy, any photos? - please be self-important, it is very interesting. I presume that you must work in a serious restaurant. I have looked around your site, so forgive me if I've missed a bit of your biography - you seem to champion a lot of other people's skills!
I think that the fusion bubble has burst in London (it wasn't all bad, not that I sampled that much - eating out at prestigious venues here is horribly expensive).
These days even fairly traditional French restaurants in France may use Indian, Thai, Chinese etc spices. Always with the utmost discretion though. Recently I searched through a French dictionary after having a sauce made using 'Kikko'. No mention - only when I got home did I realise it was the top quality Japanese soy sauce that I have used for years - Kikkoman.
My partner says my food tastes fine but looks less than skilfully presented!
Best wishes
Pete
Fusion food - the best and worst mixes ever tasted. If you are going to mix your food then separate it by at least one day. For example, the following is the past five nights at my table.
Wed. Spaghetti Bolognese with home made noodles.
Thur. Chinese Stir fried chicken and vegetables with steamed rice.
Fri. Kransky and Sauerkraut casserole with crusty bread.
Sat. Assam Chicken Curry with basmati rice and a nice tomato and onion raita.
Sun. American style pork spare ribs with potato fries and salad.
As you can see, just simple peasant food.
Can't beat peasant food, Bill - that's what a lot of these prestigious restaurants sell at obscene prices.
Sometimes I reckon when a smart restaurant gives you peasant food, it should be that they have found produce that actually tastes like it should (or used to) and hence the yuppie price tag!
What's a 'Kransky' - something smoked?
Your menu sounds great.
Last five on my table - yoghurt marinaded roast lamb shoulder with basmati pea and parsley pilaf, poule au pot (poached chicken and veg), roast rabbit on baked white cabbage, poule au pot part two, and the other half of the rabbit (saddles) cooked in white wine and a pasta gratin (with wonderful Beaufort cheese). P(l)easant food!
Best wishes
Pete
Yeah I try to do peasant food, as a matter of fact right now I am serving a lamb shank braised with dates and preserved lemons,with that I have cous-cous with carrots,parsnips, sweet potatoes and harissa, how p(l)easant!
bon apetit!
Jeremy
Pete, Kransky is a type of Polish sausage.
My butcher probably makes those Bill, he also makes turkey Kielbasa,and some great liver wurst!
Ta!
Jeremy