A Beginners Guide to Baking Bread

5 Does & Don’ts

Bread is one of those things that when I was first learning to bake and cook, sounded terribly daunting. But, as I learned more, I realized it really was not. Bread is one of my absolute favorite things, and it is a staple that I think everyone should know how to make. One of the primary rights of humanity is the right to food. And with the way the world works these days, it is imperative that you know how to feed yourself. Most breads cost pennies to produce, the upcharge on them at grocery stores is abhorrent; not to mention all the modern chemicals, preservatives, etc. that you find in most breads. Sure, you can get into all kinds of rich doughs like brioche and Pulla (and we will)- but some of the classiest, most rustic heartwarming loaves are straight doughs (including OG sourdough)- which means at their core all they have in them is flour, water, salt, and yest.  

On a tight budget, bread can be wholesome, filling, and contrary to the modern “anti-gluten” fad that is sweeping the country, full of important nutrients and calories. Again, there is too much of a good thing, but especially if you are not eating super processed bread- there is a lot of value in it. If nothing else, it is a fun thing you can do to also save yourself money on things you are buying anyway. Plus, if you make it yourself you feel accomplished, you can appreciate it much more, and you know EXACTLY what is in it.  

That being said, I want to see if I can speed up your learning process and take out some of daunting-ness behind it. Below are a few things that I learned in culinary school, from some of my favorite executive chefs I’ve worked with, and my own personal experience at home. I hope this encourages you to give it a go. And remember- your first few loaves aren’t going to be perfect. Honestly, they’re probably not even going to be pretty, but each time you do it you will get better. This picture to the right is from the first French loaf I ever made in school- and it was terrible (the cool Epi shaped wheat one next to them was my Chef’s, not mine!) These are my best tips, and the things that I wish I had known sooner. You CAN do this. 

1. You don’t need anything fancy to make bread.

A sheet pan will work for baking most things, and a single metal bread pan will suffice for everything else.  Standing mixers are AMAZING, but anything that can be made in a mixer can also be made by hand. Over time, you can collect cool loaf pans, stone wear, fancy bread dockers and the like, but don’t let that be what stops you now. People have been making bread for thousands of years, and your hands will work just as well for you as they did for your ancestors.  

2. Follow the instructions.

If a bread recipe says to mix your dough for 10 minutes on medium or 15 minutes by hand, then guess what you’re doing? A lot of people when they are first starting out will cut corners or stop mixing because it looks smooth. Then they get flat, tough bread with no air cell structure. Mixing is what develops those beautiful gluten strands. depending on the moisture content and a slew of other things, different breads NEED to mix for varying amounts of time to truly build that gluten.  

3. Let your yeast sit. 

Again, this is a trial in patience for many people. But if you add your flour before your yeast has a chance to bloom properly, you are going to dilute both the moisture needed to work through the casing, but also, disburse the heat that yeast needs to thrive. If your yeast/ liquid mixture doesn’t look foamy, cloudy, or otherwise bubbly something is wrong. You shouldn’t be able to see little yeast pellets in the water. If you still can, that’s a sign you need to wait another minute or two. 

4. Bread is a relationship.

They say cooking is an art and baking is a science. Bread is a relationship. If something goes wrong when you’re cooking, you have a chance to fix it on the fly almost up until the point it hits the plate in most situations. Baking is precise. If you’ve measured wrong, or over mixed- you’re not going to find out until it’s out of the oven, and most times, that’s too late. Bread follows neither of these rules. Why? Because you’re working with a living organism. Every single time you make your bread, the process is going to be a little different. It’s a bit like working with a toddler. You must be gentle. This doesn’t mean it’s rocket science, it just means you need to pay attention. If the relative humidity is higher one day than another you may need to adjust your liquid measurements. If it’s sticking too much, you may need to adjust your flour a bit. If your kitchen is a bit warmer, you can cut down on your rising and resting time. When I moved from Arizona to Washington, I felt like I had to relearn to make bread all over again because EVERYTHING was different. You just have to listen to your dough. And although bread requires attention- It is also relatively forgiving until the final shaping.   

5. LET YOUR BREAD COOL.

I know. I know its hot, and smells amazing and you are excited and you want to try it with a little bit of butter. Do not. Cooling your bread is probably the single most overlooked, and certainly one of the most important steps of making bread. Don’t get me wrong, you can take a slice when it’s still warm, but you need to let it cool about ninety percent of the way. Cooling your bread does a few things. Primarily, it allows are those freshly baked gluten strands to solidify and set. You would be amazed at the number of foods that carryover cook- bread being one of them. That means when you pull it out of the oven, its technically not done cooking. As bread cools, the hot air filling the air cells escapes through the not-quite-finished crust, allowing the slow escape of moisture to both set the final shape, but also prevent dryness as well. Plus, it also where most of the crust formation happens.  Its really depressing to spend hours making bread and doing everything perfectly to then have it go wrong in the home stretch just because you got a little impatient. 

We will get more into some of the technical parts of bread baking, including the basic types and varieties in upcoming videos. But these little rules of thumb are great to keep in your pocket for the basics.  

Now get baking!  

All the best,  

Mikaela  

So let us start with the basics. The sky and space have always held a lot of humans’ attention. It is mysterious, expansive, and mostly unexplored. Ancient cultures observed it for both practical (when to plant crops) and religious purposes (oh no! the gods are angry and flooding our fields!). To many of the ancient civilizations, it is not an over exaggeration to say that they believed much of their life and the events of the natural world around them were determined by the gods. Many cultures believed that the gods lived in the sky/space or were in fact the planets like in the case of the Sumerians. This led them to watching the sky and stars to find meaning. They relied on it to determine when to hunt, plant, get married etc.  

No matter if you believe in the spiritual or if you are a person of science, we can all agree that to an extent there is some validity to their methods. Obviously, our calendars are a bit different, and our gardening schedule is no longer based on our father sitting outside, looking at the stars and telling us it is time to plant the turnips. Modern science has progressed, and we can predict and make more sense of weather, movement of celestial objects, etc without attributing everything to a god. On the other hand, the sky and the celestial bodies do influence earth and the world around us. For example, the moon controls tide in the ocean and can be linked to changes in people’s moods.  

Astrology vs Astronomy vs Physics

Despite our development of modern science, people are still fascinated by the sky and how it influences our lives. Based on this, we were forced to split the study of the sky/space into more rational, calculated fields of Astronomy and Physics vs the philosophical/psychological/interpretational study of Astrology.  

• Astrology [əˈsträləjē]; NOUN; The study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world. 

• Astronomy [əˈstränəmē]; NOUN; The branch of science which deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole. 

• Physics [ˈfiziks]; NOUN; The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The subject matter of physics, distinguished from that of chemistry and biology, includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms. 

We all need a starting point…

I used to believe that Astrology was- and I quote- “froo froo woo woo hippy shit”. All I knew was that it had to do with Zodiac signs and horoscopes. As I have done more research over the years and admittedly loosened up a lot to alternative beliefs outside what I was raised with, I have also realized that it is much deeper and more involved than teenage girls looking up if they are compatible with their crush. That said, it can be confusing when terms start being thrown at you like sun/moon sign, ascendant, ruling planets, hemispheres, and houses around.  

What houses? Hogwarts houses?  

Never fear though! I am going to break down what they all mean and how they are found. Maybe you are honestly looking for another way to look at your personality and strengths and weaknesses and you are just starting your exploration into astrology.  Or maybe you think it is just froo froo woo woo hippy shit and are just curious. Maybe your ex broke up with you because “you are a scorpio” and you are trying to decipher what the H-E-double-hockey-sticks she was yelling about in the bar at 2 am. Either way, let us start with the most obvious, cookie cutter, pieces. The bread and butter of Astrology if you may.  

First things first…

First, I would say to use a free natal chart calculator online. A natal chart is an astrology birth chart and a cosmic map showing all the planets placement and movement around the sun in relation to where you were born. Because it is down to the minute and specific to the place of your birth, it is unique to everyone. I have used several and even cross checked them for accuracy. The following two are favorites. The first has a ton of different options if you are more experienced and want to tweak some different things or pull a non-standard chart. The second site (my favorite) is great for beginners, straight to the point, and even gives a description of what it all means.  

Free Charts & Data – Astrodienst 

Free Astrology Birth Chart Report (cafeastrology.com) 

Co – Star: Hyper-Personalized, Real-Time Horoscopes (costarastrology.com)– This is a phone app

Both Mikaela and I have looked up meanings and interpretations and pulled information from quite a few places online and from our bookshelf. To really understand the chart, it is always best to look in multiple places. Part of it will also come from experience. That being said, the point of the astrology posts I will be putting out is to break down some of that info in small bite sized pieces so you have to do less digging around.

In the next few Astrology posts, you will see Mikaela and I use ourselves as examples and as we build on this info we will continue to delve into our own natal charts, what the pieces mean to us and then how that can be applied to various parts of our world. I would encourage you to do the same.  I know that some cultures do not believe this information should be shared as people can use that knowledge against you so, please only share if you are comfortable.

Remember! This is supposed to be fun. It is a tool and very much up for interpretation. It is also going to mean vastly different things for and to everyone. We want to hear from you! What do you think this all means to you and what did it say?

Happy Charting! 

Taylor 

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CHECK OUT THE FULL ASTROLOGY 101 SERIES:

• What is Astrology? Where Does One Start?
• Astrology Symbol Reference Page
• Astrology 101: What Is In Your Natal Chart?
• Astrology 101: Natal Chart Organization and Terminology
• Astrology 101: The 12 houses & Their Symbolism
• Astrology 101: The Energy of Planets and Other Celestial Bodies

Upcycling, recycling, thrifting, repurposing.

For some people, that implies cheapness or lower class; For my family it was a fun and time-honored tradition. Taylor and I come from an altogether upper middle-class family. We weren’t rolling in money Scrooge McDuck style, but we had things that other children didn’t, and our parents were big on providing us whatever opportunities they could.

However, they were also big on teaching of the value of things. Not just the monetary value, but the real value of any given thing. My dad is from a small community in Wyoming, and he did not grow up with nearly as many opportunities as Taylor and I did. My mom was raised by parents that were a product of the great depression. Both believed firmly in using the most of something that you possibly could. Waste not, want not.

Dad is big on quality over quantity. Buy less but buy nice and if you take care of it- it will last you forever. Mom was big on finding a way to give something new life and see it in a whole new way. They both stressed how important it was for our environment and for the planet to not be so big on ‘disposable’, and to not throw something away just because it got scuffed or slightly worn. Part of the reason we go thrifting or upcycling still to this day is that it is so much more environmentally friendly to buy something second hand (especially clothes) than to get a newly manufactured one. The apparel industry alone accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions.

One of my favorite things as a kid to do was go hunting with my mom and her best friend Sherry on weekends. We would hit antique markets, garage sales, and thrift stores and it was always an adventure. The hunt was half the fun, and I got to spend time with my mom. We never knew what we were going to find, I frequently got to save something from a landfill or scrap pile, and my wardrobe was always unique to me. I like to think it taught my sister and I to look at things in ways other people didn’t. Sherry and mom were big crafters and could fix and repurpose anything. They taught us what to look for and became our earliest DIY instructors. We would come home with our pile of jee-jaws and scraps and second-hand furniture for pennies and nickels and the occasional $5 in allowance spent that turned into hours and hours of crafting and fun, a hobby that I like to think has served us fairly well so far in life.

I also think it taught us the importance of giving back. We rarely ever threw things away. There was always going to be somebody who could re-imagine it, or someone that needed it more than I did. You could always help a neighbor in need if you were paying attention and willing to give.

You also always learn something when it comes to upcycling and rebuilding. Some of my proudest learning moments have come from repurposing.

A few of my favorite crafts, antiques, and saves include:

• Multicolored rope baskets: my parents had these plastic crisscrossed laundry baskets when Taylor and I were little. I think everybody had them. They were small and round, and I think the dollar tree probably still sells something similar to this day. They had started to see better days, and dad finally went to get rid of them, so I swiped them. I now have a set of nice, fabric lined rope baskets and all it cost me was some hot glue, a couple yards of scrap fabric, and some jute rope. I’ve used them for blankets, decorative containers for plants, and sometimes still a laundry hamper.
• Grandma’s corning wear: this is an older generation thing that is so underrated, and you can fight me on, but will never change my mind. I happened to steal mine from grandma before they donated it, but I find it all the time at goodwill as well. People are throwing them away as they clean out estates or updating for sleeker looking options. Corning ware will never wear out on you. It’s cute and vintage. And it heats SO evenly. You can cook almost anything in it.
• My dining room table: this one is probably my absolute proudest project moment. It was a long labor of love. I will be honest, there was a lot of swearing involved in this one. it was a big project, and I had to teach myself a handful of skills. But it came out almost exactly as I envisioned it, and I love it to bits. Taylor and I bought this mismatched table and chairs at goodwill for $10. it was scratched, but it was a beautifully cut, old fashioned solid wooden table underneath that. It still had the original hardware, and these amazingly shaped legs and it just screamed “TAKE ME HOME!”. The chairs were hideous, and did not match in the slightest, like doctor’s office waiting room chairs. So, we sanded down the whole table. Dad had to teach me how to use a belt sander for the top of it and remember those awesome legs I was talking about? that’s where the swearing started. It took weeks. After the sanding, we stenciled this giant mandala pattern into the center of it and then wood burnt the pattern in (insert more swearing and severely cramping hands). When all the stenciling and woodburning and staining and sealing was done though, I had this moment of complete satisfaction of a project well finished. I learned a lot. And I also have this gorgeous table that is unique to my home. The best part is that altogether it probably only cost my $35 by the time I was done buying sandpaper and wood stain.

There is so much you can do and find with upcycling and thrifting. I have met the most interesting people, learned a number of useful skills, and thoroughly love the positive impact on my community and my environment. We’re really excited to be able to share some of our up-and-coming projects with you, and we hope they will inspire you to try a few of your own.

Not sure where to start? Keep your eyes out for our next updates! Taylor will be sharing some of the things we have learned over the years in the hopes that it will seem a little less intimidating. See Taylor’s post, How to Maximize Your Thrifting.

Happy Hunting!

Mikaela

10 Tips, Tricks, & Rules

FIRST, lets discuss why thrifting should be a part of your life.

I won’t get super to into why we (as in Mikaela and I) thrift right now as Mikaela is also posting on this topic (see her Upcycling… There are no downsides) BUT I just want to list out a couple reasons that I love it:

But this is only if I am thrifting the right way! I can still spend way too much, waste a bunch, and have buyers’ remorse if I don’t go into it with the right mindset and rules for myself. I have a couple things that I must put limiters on myself about or else I can get out of control. So, with that in mind, I have a couple things I have learned and some rules that may help you in your thrifting journey.

Tips, Tricks and Rules

1- Know your stores.

This seems obvious but know what stores you want to check out. I thrift enough that I know which are favorites for different things. I have one I know will always have amazing clothes, one I go to if I am looking for art supplies and tchotchkes, and even a favorite for furniture. Something else to consider is that a lot of stock is determined by the neighborhoods around the store because when people donate, they go to a close location. So, if I want to look for nice business suits, it seems reasonable to go to a thrift store either specializing in what I am looking for OR go to a thrift store in a neighborhood where I might find people who work in offices and wear suits. Call it profiling but it works. This isn’t perfect but it has upped my chances when I am looking for something specific.

2- Know what you already have.

Again, something that seems simple, but I used to not take this into consideration. When I know what I have in my closet, what books I own, and what art supplies I already have, it helps me narrow down what I should buy and what would be a duplicate. It is a horrible feeling when you buy something and realize you have 3 of it already because you keep forgetting. I am not saying make a list of everything you own (although I do on some things). All I am saying is if it is a planned outing, maybe just take a brief peek in your closet or your Sterlite tubs of yarn/fabric to refamiliarize yourself with what you have in order try and cut down on those accidental duplicates.

3- Have a list but be flexible.

Speaking of lists… there are a few things I like to keep list of for when I go thrifting. I love collecting and am also an avid reader. Thrifting is an amazing way to find missing pieces of collectables or a book you may not have a copy of, but it is hard to remember that in the heat of the moment. I keep a list of missing pieces on my phone OR for several collections I have a list of what I already own- depends on what is easiest. This way I can make sure I stroll through books and have a solid idea of what I am looking for (no questioning if I was missing #4 or #5 in hard cover of this series). I also know that I am avoiding duplicates in more expensive pieces (have you ever spent $120 on a piece for a collection and then gotten home to find out you bought the wrong one? Trust me when I say 10/10 would not recommend that frustration). On a different note, if you have that list handy already, it makes for a good Xmas list to send your mom so that she doesn’t yell at you for not knowing what you want.

I also take a list of generally what I am looking for on a specific trip. Pieces to alter for a costume? Things to turn into a multimedia art project? Outfit basics? A new bookshelf? It gives me a basic place to start.

That being said, DO NOT BE SO MARRIED TO THAT LIST THAT YOU MISS OUT ON A GEM RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!!!!!

4- Grab everything that interests you and do not be fooled by looks.

This doesn’t mean BUY everything that looks interesting. If you do that then it will defeat the purpose of this being more cost effective. Trust me when I say you will find a lot of interesting things. I do put anything I find even vaguely cool in my cart though. There is no back stock when buying second hand. What is there right now may be gone in 10 minutes so I may not be able to change my mind and go back BUT I can always whittle down and put things back.

Here are some things I look at/for in different categories:

• Clothes– I look for things that have interesting patterns or cuts. I also look at solid basics that can go with literally everything. At this point I usually pick up items that I am not even sure if I will like or are not necessarily my usual style. When I try them on, I often find pieces that surprise me- in good AND bad ways. Plus, it is fun to play dress up. On a separate note though, do not grab it just because it is a brand because it could be fake and/or it will just sit in the back of your closet because you do not really love IT- just the status of the brand.

• Books– These I put in my cart on less of a whim. By the time it’s in that sucker… I am half in love with the book after having read a synopsis. If I am honest, there is no whittling unless I am tight on money. Sue me. I can spend hours sifting through books. A trip to the VNSA book sale in Arizona is a whole day affair.

• Household Goods/Knick Knicks– With this section I do the obvious and pick up items that look cool or I could use BUT I will also pick up items that I think I could upcycle into something else. A chalkboard could be turned into a clock. Some of those super ugly statues and toys can be painted into something else. A lot of my Xmas decorations are literally from me finding ugly things at Goodwill and breathing some new life into them with acrylics. Look at shapes and what they are made of. If you are in the electronics section, that clock may not work but can you pull it apart for pieces for a steampunk or cyberpunk project (or a repair on another clock if that is your thing). The sky is the limit so do not be boxed in by what it looks like at that moment!

5- Be realistic about the quality and how much work you are willing to put into what you are purchasing.

So, this has been a tough pill be me to swallow sometimes. I have to ask myself some tough questions to reign me in back to earth when I get extravagant thrifting dreams. Ask yourself these questions:

• What kind of shape is this in and what kind of work will I need to put into it?
• How much time/money am I willing to pour into it?
• Do I have something similar?
• Is this a want or need?
• I love this now, but will I actually wear/use it?

6- Dress Appropriately.

You dress appropriately for going out on the town or to work or to a party. Why would this be different? Stick to something that slips on and off easy for trying on clothes (no laces or buttons). Stick to separates so if you want to try a shirt on, you do not need to worry about only being half dressed to show a friend outside the room. I also like to make sure my makeup is done. That way you know how the clothes fit your aesthetic AND how you feel/how you dress tend to correlate so if you have makeup on and are feeling yourself, you are more likely to feel good in what you are trying/ get items that make you feel/look good.

7- Give yourself some rules.

These will be different for everyone but what I like to do is pinpoint a couple places that I tend to go crazy in and find ways to limit myself. For example, if I buy a jacket, when I get home, I have to pick one to get rid of (I have a jacket problem).

8- Clean it immediately.

You do not know where your purchase has been or who has been trying it on. Make sure you are being safe and cleaning your purchases before you use them (especially now-a-days).

9- Haggle if you can.

Some places allow you to haggle or ask for a lower price. Ask! Just remember to be polite about it.

10- Have fun.

Remember at the end of the day that this is supposed to be fun! This are tips, not hard law. Go play and figure out what works for you!

Happy Hunting!

Taylor

Food is something I am incredibly passionate about. And I’m sure you will see this as our physical space comes to life in the next few years.  Food is a powerful thing to me, It can bring all kinds of different people together and share all different kinds of feelings. Food can warm your heart, give comfort & take you back to your childhood. So I try to share a little of my passion for food with other people. Like everything else in life, my relationship with food has ebbed and flowed over the years. All the way from a childhood in the kitchen with my mom and grandma to culinary school and major stadium kitchens to a career shift where I drifted away from my love of cooking, through a medical diagnoses that changed my life because it completely altered how I ate and how I cooked; food has always been an adventure for me. 

 
For a while, I gave up on cooking. With a sudden diagnosis of Systemic Lupus and Fibro Myalgia, I hit a point where I felt like I was hearing the phrase “you can’t have that.” a lot. and it destroyed my love of food for a long time. Everything I loved was on a list of foods to avoid as I was put on a low sugar, low carb, no red meat anti-inflammatory diet. Cooking was no longer fun, it was frustrating, and depressing, and a constant challenge. BUT after all the crazy dieting, and structural changes, I noticed that nothing was really changing. I wasn’t getting any better, my symptoms weren’t changing. I was still spending a crazy amount of time in doctor’s offices or in pain. So, I shifted gears again. I tracked down a rheumatologist, and spoke with a nutritionist and dietician. And again, my lifestyle changed. It became about moderation and regular exercise instead of keto/paleo/ low sugar or whatever else it was they had been trying to throw at me before. It reaffirmed my personal beliefs in nutrition. It allowed me enough wiggle room to begin to enjoy cooking again. I cannot stress enough how strongly I believe that there are no such things as bad foods…

EVERYTHING IN MODERATION

But it did allow me to educate myself a bit more thoroughly on balanced nutrition. On tracking your macro nutrients- which is incredibly important to finding balance. On the importance of having balance in your gut bacteria; and on the fact that no 2 people’s diets should really ever be the same. There is power in food science. and if you’re like me and not only have congenital terminal illnesses and therefore don’t want to spend the rest of your life on a slew of narcotic pain killers and steroids, then it is an amazingly liberating feeling to be able to take back some of your control simply by altering or supplementing your nutrition without giving up all of the things you love.  
 
I became incredibly passionate about nutrition and focused on nutrition for people with chronic illnesses. I have seen a complete shift in my attitude about food and in my overall health and happiness. This is one area of our community I am most excited to build: a place to share information, along with practical people recipes. 

I’m hoping that what I share will resonate with some of you, and even more so surprise you- both in its results but also with its simplicity. Eating well doesn’t have to be the mystery that the modern world makes it seem, and in the coming months I cannot wait to dive into more diverse and specific topics within the food/ nutrition/dietary sphere. 
 
And no, I’m not about to try and sell you some bizarre dietary supplement, vitamin or convince you to go vegan, keto, vegetarian, pescatarian or anything else. I still eat bread- yes, bread with GLUTEN in it. That word that has all of a sudden become evil in the 21st century after 2000 years of it being a building block of society. I will also never give up my cheesecake. EVER. you can pry it out of my cold dead fingers. I still enjoy sitting in my grandfather’s old chair with a glass of Scotch from time to time. I will still share cake recipes, and book reviews, and all the bread recipes you can take. But I also want to create a space to teach people about true nutrition: Balance. Little tips and tricks you can use to make eating more intelligently a heck of a lot easier. I want to break down definitions and make dietary and culinary jargon less scary for people. I want to share (dare I say it) HERBAL remedies. I strongly believe in a blend of true food nutrition, regular exercise, modern medicine (when used correctly), and old school herbology (yes, some homeopathic treatments really do work; its called grandma’s kitchen wisdom for a reason folks). 
 
This section of our community will be a place to learn and talk about shifting food paradigms on the most basic levels, and too hopefully remove many of the stigma’s surrounding certain food choices.  

 
I really hope you’ll join me on this next exciting journey, and that hopefully it will benefit someone else as much as it has helped me.  
 
Happy learning! 
Mikaela