CORONABREADS & MORE - Phase 1 - Spring & Summer 2020

I created this page to share bread and food photos from students, family, and friends experimenting and practicing at home during the pandemic. Please send me your photos via email or text to my cell (860-614-7465).

Blog format - new entries on top - click photos to enlarge

A special welcome to Chion Wolf's NPR Listeners! Listen to my recent chat with Chion which aired on NPR stations Saturday May 23: "US in the Time of Coronavirus" (the player below should start at 39:39)

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Sally S in Concord MA reports, "Serious baking going on here... Pain de campagne in foreground of first photo. 75% whole wheat levain in background. Bran encrusted in foreground of second photo."

I'm baking Polarbrøds in my grill to keep the kitchen cool during the heat wave:

Cathy L in Natick, MA made very nice Canadian Brown Breads:

Bill S has been practicing Dutch oven baked whole wheat breads:

Sally S in Concord MA shared very nice Dutch oven baked 40% whole wheat boules!

Sally S in Concord, MA shared a beautiful whole wheat boule made with an overnight rise:

Doreen shared a really nice sourdough boule:

Carolyn D made naturally-risen sourdough for her friend (and college classmate) Caroline (left)
and a batch of pumpkin maple muffins for breakfast (right):

Wendy K made some really nice looking sourdough-flavored rye boules:

Stephanie K made a batch of nice bialys! (photos are bre-bake)

Cathy L made this absolutely gorgeous whole wheat boule using a pre-ferment to conserve yeast:

Sally S made old fashioned oatmeal bread and her second focaccia:

Carolyn D made tortillas... which later became breafast tacos (center) and dinner tacos (right):

Linda L made Spanish bread.
"Will deliver to family and friends.(or just stay home and eat them all ourselves)!"

Wendy K shared blueberry sour cream coffee cakes (left)
and challah with oatmeal honey-wheat loaves (right):

Don made pan-raised sourdough-flavored sandwich bread:

Carolyn D made naturally leavened (no added yeast) pain au levain!
Of particular note: the great open structure of the crumb:

Sally S in Concord, MA made some very nice loaves from her bridesmaid LuLu's recipe!

Lori W just shared these wonderful photos of her family's Easter pierogi extravaganza!
They made and cooked them the same day.  Fillings included farmers cheese and sauerkraut.

Tony M shared his picture perfect batch of Bavarian Pretzels:

Don made Boston brown bread... just like B&M's you had as a kid!

Ramila has mastered the art of making Italian biscuits called Taralli:

Don made a batch of sourdough wheat thins with sesame seeds:

Ramila made pizza for dinner:

Sally S made her first Italian focaccia:

Wendy K has been busy making meatballs:

Don made beef sliders on sourdough with home-made steak fries:

EASTER... Ramila shared cheddar chive scones and roast leg of lamb:

EASTER... Don grilled rack of lamb served with grilled potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and ciabatta:

Wendy K from our street shared some gorgeous sourdough boules plus a couple loaves of banana bread:

Tony M shared beautiful Portuguese Sweet Breads and Swiss Zupfes:

Carolyn shared hummus with zaatar and whole wheat sourdough pita (left),
a sourdough discard pancake with kale, onions, and olives (middle),
and another pancake with roasted sweet potato slices, kale, and basalmic vinaigrette (right):

College fraternity brother John and Mary Z shared a dinner of pan seared sea scallops in tarragon butter/avacado oil and brunch the next day of fried eggs with balogna:

Don's bake today: molasses whole wheat dinner rolls and bread,
with grilled cornish hen and acorn squash for dinner:

Ramila shared her tomahawk pork chop dinner and later a pot of carrot soup:

Strait from Edgartown, MA comes Jean C's picture-perfect herb-roasted chicken pot pie.
It took ABC (able-bodied cadet) Jackson C less than 10 minutes to make it disappear. Magic!

Just in from Martha's Vineyard...be prepared to be amazed...
Julia C's garlic & rosemary bread and her Tuscan chicken, broccoli and Kalamata olive bread!
Can't wait for more from this college sophomore. Way to go!

Caroln's pizza with pre- and post-bake photos:

This is Don's sourdough bake yesterday (Thursday):

Tony M's daughter Laura (visiting with husband & baby) made deep dish pizza.
Tony M also made a few loaves of bread yesterday including a mock braid and tea ring:

Yesterday, Carolyn made crackers with sourdough discard.
She also cooked up a batch of nice candles:

Cathy L. of Natick, MA shared a couple of her recent bakes:

I made a batch of leak and potato soup with diced kielbasa.
Started by making fresh veggie stock from frozen veg trimmings (first photo).
Next, sauteed the cleaned and chopped leeks, sliced crimini mushrooms, and garlic (second photo).
Used Jacques Pepin's method of whisking in instant potato flakes (third photo). WATCH JACQUES
If instant spuds are good enough for Jacques (as an ingredient), they're good enough for us!

An artisan sourdough and bananna quick bread from Carolyn:

My very dear friend Sally S. in Concord contributed her daughter Sam's absolutely gorgeous
strawberry-blueberry-plum pie along with her own pear ginger muffins and pizza for dinner:

Comments & Questions:
• Coming soon!

What you should do:
• STAY HOME.
• Wash your hands.
• Wear a disposable glove when pumping gas and using ATMs or in-store terminals.
• Throw gloves out without touching the surfaces you used.
• Be careful with anything received by mail or delivered.
• This bug can live on cardboard for over a day, maybe two.
• When you have to shop, buy more and go less often.
• Do not congregate: stay 2 yards away from others.
• Stay healthy: go for a walk, drink plenty of fluids.
• Watch news daily to say current but don't obsess and watch too much.
• Stay sane: enjoy whatever hobbies you can, read, and bake.

- send comments or provide feedback