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Stecca

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stecca

I love the breads made by Jim Lahey at Sullivan Street Breads in New York City. He’s one of America’s great artisan bakers. He bakes most of his crusty European-style breads until they’re quite dark. They come out of the oven burnished, with an amazing crackle when you bite into them. But he also makes a few loaves with thin, light brown crusts. My partner, Matt Galvin, sampled an airy bread of his on a trip to New York – not quite baguette, not quite breadstick and not quite focaccia.  Matt suggested something like this would make a nice addition to our line of breads. I set out to create something similar but uniquely Macrina.

Stecca, a soft “sweet” (meaning not sour) baguette, is made with our yeast-risen ciabatta dough. The loaves are baked closely together, “kissing” we call it, which results in soft sides. This makes it an ideal bread for sandwiches of all kinds. It has a light, golden crust and a well-aerated irregular crumb structure. Stecca is now available in all of our cafes.

Beginning in 2016, we will begin offering a Green-Olive Stecca exclusively in our cafes. Studded with green olives, brushed with extra-virgin olive oil, and garnished with fresh herbs this bread is hard to resist.

SoCal Food Trip with Leslie Mackie

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Leslie's SoCal Food Trip - Google Maps_Page_1-001Recently, Leslie Mackie migrated south. However, unlike many of the Northwest birds that head towards the equator in the winter, she stayed only for a few days. The trip, although short, was long on activities. Part bakery tour and part board meeting with the Bread Bakers Guild of America (BBGA), Leslie ventured to the San Diego area. “Pure heaven for us Pacific Northwesterners,” she commented as she described the 75-85 degree February weather.

Prior to the BBGA meeting, Leslie was joined by co-owners, Scott France and Matt Galvin for the first leg of her trip. Always looking to improve, the trio gleaned information and insights on how to work smarter and more efficiently using examples from fellow bakers. Then, she and fellow BBGA board members congregated in the charming, coastal town of Encinitas, just 20 minutes north of San Diego. Of course, they have to eat, so follow us on a food “road trip” with Leslie.

Stop 1: Bread & Cie. Bakery, San Diego. The bakery specializes in hand-crafted European breads for their café, catering, and wholesale business. Leslie was impressed by the “talented and passionate people who own and manage this bakery.”

Stop 2: Sadie Rose Baking Co., San Diego. The company provides artisan bread for restaurants and hotels with sales to the public at local farmer’s markets and in specialty markets throughout San Diego County. Leslie noted the wonderful malted brown bread and pretzel rolls, and praised the “gracious owners who provided insights on the challenges and successes” of running an artisan bakery.

Stop 3: El Callejon Restaurant, Encinitas. With a tagline of “Authentic Mexican Cuisine & Tequila Museum”, Leslie confirmed that they offer great food and margaritas!

Stop 4: Lofty Bean, Encinitas. This great coffee shop serves flavorful organic coffee from, per Leslie, “really nice people.”

Stop 5: Union Kitchen & Tap, Encinitas. Her recommendations at this lively restaurant are the “tasty flatbread pizzas and creamy grits with spicy shrimp and andouille.”

Stop 6: Darshan Bakery & Café , Encinitas. Jeff Yankellow, Darshan owner and BBGA president brought Viennese pastries and bread for breakfast each day. Leslie’s comment: “Great croissants!”

So, are you ready for a SoCal food trip? Take Leslie’s advice and eat your way around the area! When you are full, take time to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Ocean at the next stop.

Stop 7: Self-Realization Fellowship, Encinitas. According to Leslie, this belongs on your list of “don’t miss!” With its stunning coastal setting and beautiful gardens that are open to the public, it’s no wonder that Paramahansa Yogananda was inspired to write Autobiography of a Yogi.

Ommmm and yummmm.

Good Grains! It’s National Flour Month!

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Macrina Bakery Flour ScoopEach year we celebrate the usual March holidays – National Pi Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Women’s History Month, but, most importantly, we honor National Flour Month. As a bakery, flour is one of our basic ingredients, whether it’s whole grain, whole wheat, or all-purpose.

Since the beginning of civilization, flour has been the staple of cuisines around the world. When our ancestors discovered they could crush grass seeds into a powder, they dined on flat, hard cakes cooked over a fire. It is the Egyptians in 3,000 BC that figured out how to harvest and use yeast, creating soft loaves by fermenting the dough with heat from the sun.

Luckily, we do not have to grind the grains ourselves. News of this innovation traveled, Romans created watermills, and with the Industrial Age came the technology to mill the flour in large quantity. We have a handful of wonderfully dedicated millers that we rely on for our flours. One of them is Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill in Burlington, about one hour north of Seattle. Fairhaven began in 1974 as a cooperative, and since 2007, has been family-owned by Kevin and Matsuko Christenson. Leslie had the opportunity to visit the mill a while back and was taken by the Christenson’s sincere pledge to buy only locally grown, organic grains that are milled weekly in small batches so they retain as much nutrients as possible.

Macrina Bakery Flour BowlAmidst the earthy aromas of the fresh, weighty whole grain flour, the Christensons shared their passion for the farmers with whom they have continued to support over the years. It is that commitment to their craft that is most appreciated by the Macrina family. We use Fairhaven’s Rye Flour for many of the artisan breads we produce, including Vollkorn, Pane Francese, and Greek Olive Bread. The recipes for these breads are included in our cookbooks, Macrina Bakery & Café Cookbook and More From Macrina. We hope you will pick up Fairhaven Organic Flour for your bread-making needs and test out some of our recipes in honor of National Flour Month. Happy baking!