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Bread flour

What's best for bread baking? If you pick the wrong flour for the job, the finished article may not be as successful as it might have been.
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Baguettes the French like - 2 Jun 2010

With grilling and picnic weather now in, a meal al fresco can be made or broken by your choice of bread. A bad baguette is almost as bad as that squish-flat-between-forefinger-and-thumb Kleenex bread. But there are some good ones around. read more...

Cakes - to order or make beautiful - 10 Mar 2010

Baking cake for a celebration, cupcakes for school or work? Or need someone else to do it for you? Here's all you need to keep you in cake. read more...

Saint Michel Bakery - one of my favorites - 8 Jul 2009

I've been mourning the deterioration in quality of Bonaparte Bakery's baguettes. They've lost that balance between crustiness and crumbiness and Wagshal's, where I go to buy them, no longer stocks their ficelles which I preferred to the baguettes. I don't know if that means that Bonaparte's doesn't bake them any more. But at any rate, I don't mind too much. I've discovered a proper French bakery - Saint Michel Bakery, owned by a proper French baker, Bertrand Houlier. read more...

What is gluten? - 12 May 2008

Gluten is the natural protein surrounding kernels of wheat, barley, rye and oats. It's what makes a dough stretch. read more...

Shemali's - one of my favorite markets - 14 Apr 2008

Shemali's is a Lebanese delicatessen that has suffered, along with the Cleveland Park neighborhood around Wisconsin Ave, from the ditherings and delays in redevelopment of the Giant. It used to have a store in the parking lot of the supermarket, large enough to run a lunch counter that served the best bargain in sharwama and the best lentil soup in the District. But when Giant - around 5 years ago - closed down all the premises it leased out to increase its size, Shemali's disappeared to the medical building at 3301 New Mexico Ave NW. It's there you'll find all the Middle East goodies of its previous location. But no lunch counter. Don't despair, though. Gretta and Joseph Chemali (no, that's not a spelling mistake) can sell you a whole stuffed lamb... read more...

Croissants - 18 Nov 2007

The French probably have the most seductive notion of breakfast - a good cup of coffee and a croissant. read more...

Bread flour unscrambled - 15 Nov 2007

Which flour bakes the best bread? First, know that a grain of wheat has three parts: the endosperm which is the central source of the starch, accounting for 85 percent of the grain. Next to it lies the germ, accounting for only 2 percent. But it's the most positive element. It's the 'seed' that grows new wheat plants and it contains most of the whole grain's protein, vitamins and oil. Plus, pretty much all the flavor lies in the germ. Both of these are covered by the protective outer layer of bran. read more...

Yeast - 2 Nov 2007

Fresh yeast makes a better home-baked loaf than dried. But where to find it? read more...

Breads - a good chew - 2 Nov 2007

Not so long ago, the only bread available in Washington came sliced in cellophane packages. Now you can't move for choice among breads studded with everything from olives to cheese. But where can you get a plain brown loaf? read more...

A whacky ambition: to cook like Cambell's and Co.
It may be sacrilege to say so, but I did have a moment's wonder at Julie Powell dedicating a whole year to cooking out Julia Childs. Life is surely too short. But I admired her staying power. Most cookbooks contain only a handful of recipes you actually want to tackle - though heaven forfend that I should level this criticism towards Mastering the Art of French Cookery.

Anyway, here's someone who really slackened my jaw. Meet Todd Wilbur, who spends his time to trying to recreate food made by the industrial giants. He wants to cook Krispy Kremes just like the factory. He wants to clone Big Macs, Yoo Hoo chocolate drinks, and dozens more junk foods, to taste just like the real (or unreal) McKoy.
Read Chef Profile...
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