Four in 2010

Slow Going

I don't know if I'm just less patient this year for some reason or if things got off to a fast, early start when the weather warmed sooner than usual and then everything slowed to a crawl when it cooled again. Even the tomato starts et al germinated quickly and then seemed to take forever to put out true leaves.

In the garden I still haven't set up for watering so things have been slow out there during the last few dry weeks. But this week we've been getting rain, lovely rain and things are growing again.

And I can finally do some easy weeding because of course the weeds managed just fine in the dry weather.

At Least Three

I'm not finding much to celebrate right now except for the reports of peregrine chicks hatching in Cleveland, Montreal and many other locations. Here in Syracuse I've spotted at least three and there may very well be a fourth tucked in there. In a few short weeks they'll be on the wing.

Back in Business

My first effort on the new stone was a loaf from a batch of no-knead dough made with half King Arthur organic bread flour and half Red Fife from Anson Mills. It could have baked another five minutes but it was still a treat.


Red Fife was North America’s preferred bread wheat in the 19th century, fathering many of our modern bread wheat varieties. It disappeared from production with the Great Depression and was re-introduced into Canada a little over decade ago, where it has slowly and steadily drawn an ardent cadre of artisan bakers in both countries. Cold-milled, this new crop hard red wheat produces 100% whole grain bread with profoundly herbaceous and nutty fresh wheat flavors, a moist, satisfying crumb, and a lovely crust with deep, toasty caramel notes. As a whole grain bread flour, Red Fife is unparalleled.