Paul Forrester
“As well as baking bread during the pandemic, I've been taking part in some online writing workshops. One session I wrote 'An ode to baking bread', I thought I'd share the poem with the Lockdown Loaf Club.”
An Ode to Baking Bread
Three ingredients. It’s dead easy,
or so says the theory.
More like alchemy really.
Once you’re hooked it’s all blogs and books,
looking for sourdough hacks to fix a lack of rise.
Size isn’t everything but there’s lots to prove.
When to add salt?
Is chlorine in your water at fault?
Room temperature, humidity.
Plain old stupidity misreading a recipe.
All of this is relevant to gluten development.
Be willing to experiment.
Try milling your own flour
if you’ve got hours in the day.
Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.
Let the dough rest, be calm and gentle.
If you lose all the air then don’t feel deflation.
Adjust your hydration and it’ll soon be elation.
Surface tension of the dough?
Try my forehead, mate -
this frown on my brow is freshly baked.
But when pop goes the toaster
and the knife spreads the butter,
the grimace melts away.
No regret or irritation,
save that for the next iteration.
For now, it’s the right sour taste
and pure satisfaction.