BREAD CARE
Resist the temptation!
There is nothing more tempting than the smell of freshly baked bread. But did you know that when you cut your bread hot, it changes the texture (and even the taste) of the crumb? It can make your bread go gummy, creating changes in the texture that make it age (go stale) faster and more unevenly.
So we always recommend waiting until your bread has cooled completely before cutting off that first slice.
It'll still be just as delicious!
We promise!
Storage
Please don't seal up your bread if it is stlll warm. It creates a steamy environment that encourages bacteria to grow. Ick. Bad.
If you are planning to eat all your bread over the first day or two, storing it (cut side down) on a bread board with a towel thrown over it (or in a linen bread bag) is usually sufficient.
For longer storage, slice the bread and wrap the loaf in plastic or a beeswax wrap and put into an airtight container or bag and throw into the freezer.
Refresh your loaf
Did you know you can bring your loaf back to "fresh out of the oven" crispy - even when it's a few days old?
To refresh your whole loaf, run the loaf under water until it is good and wet - but not completely dripping saturated.
Pop into onto an oven tray and bake at 175C for 10-15 minutes (or until re-baked to your liking)
*** NOTE ***
Your loaf can only be refreshed
once using this method.
Temperature
Please don't store your loaf in the fridge. It will dry it out fast!
Keeping your loaf in a cool, dry place, protected from air, with temperatures between 16-24C will maximise the counter life of your bread.
We prefer to wrap our loaves in beeswax wraps and pop them into a bread bin/crock.
STALE BREAD GOES GOURMET!
Most of our bread is consumed extremely quickly - but on the rare occasion after a big bake - we sometimes have more than we can eat!
That's ok though... we love it when our bread starts to go a little beyond it's peak freshness because it opens a whole new way to enjoy it!
Here are some of our favourite ways to ensure every morsel of your healthy, gut loving sourdough is consumed.
Fig and Olive Panzanella
A quick trip to the Mediterranean is only a super special salad away with this Fig and Olive Panzanella.
Simply tear your slightly stale bread into pieces, mix them through your salad and drizzle with a sweet and sour balsamic and fig molasses dressing. The bread acts as host for all the juices in your salad and they provide incredible, bold little flavour bombs that really make this salad something special.
It's our favourite "wow factor" lunch salad that you can pull together in just a few minutes.
Sourdough Croutons
Big, crispy, chunky croutons make any dish a texural delight and that's why we always purposely reserve some of our sourdough bread!
Simply cut your bread into big chunks, pop them on an oven tray and drizzzle them with your favourite oil. Garlic oil is a household favourite here but you can use any oil you like!
Put them into the oven to toast and every few minutes pull them out and give them a good shake so all the sides toast nice and evenly.
We love to add them to soups and stews, but you can also grind them up and use them in place of anywhere you'd use a plain, boring, cardboard tasting store bought breadcrumb.
We promise they will take your schnittiies to a whole new level!
Decadent French Toast
For the ultimate indulgent brunch treat, we like to slice our sourdough in thick slices, soak them well in our custard made from milk, eggs, vanilla bean, cinnamon and orange zest and then fry it until each slice is crispy and golden.
Top them with your favourite fruits (liquer braised black morello cherries have out heart!) and serve with some fresh greek yogurt or vanillabean cream.
Such a delicious and decadent way to savour every last bit of your gorgeous sourdough bread!
Charcuterie Crostini
Whilst you can defintely use your sourdough croutons on your charcuterie board, we like to go for something just that little bit fancier.
Slice your sourdough into very thin slices and then cut each slice into fingers.
Lay them out on an oven tray and drizzle them with your favourite oil. Think lemon oil, rosemary oil, garlic oil etc.
Then sprinkle them with your favourite cracker toppings. Our picks are sea salt flakes, bagel seasoning, fresh chopped rosemary, onion flakes and grated parmesan.... but the options are limitless!
Bake them at a low temperature until they are nice and golden and super crisp.
You won't find a better cracker for your cheseboard!