Day 2 - 5/22

Focaccia #1:

20% levain .04% yeast.  10% Olive Oil.  Done in sheet pans a la cotogna.  One loaf had summer squash, basils and marjoram and sel gris.  One loaf had young onions, tarragon, thymes, lovage, sesame seeds and sel gris.  Baked @ 400 for 20 min, steam 5 seconds.

Very tasty.  I don't need so much oil in the actual dough.  Garnish can be doubled.  Temp can be bumped by 15 or 20 degrees.

Baguette #2: 

Half bread flour half ap flour.  86% Poolish.  67.5% Hydration.  Baked at 400f 25 minutes.

Great crust, flavor was much closer to baguette ideal.  Had that "toasted starch" flavor that one associates with baguettes.  Color nice.  Steam function used properly makes all the difference.  I like the epi shape going in a single direction.  I will try baking at 420f next time.  I will also try half poolish half levain.

                                    

Levain Country Loaves #1:

As a control I did the Tartine method "verbatim."  Mixed by hand just 'till it comes together, and regular folds throughout a long fermentation.  Hydration 80%.  Levain 20%. 5% rye, 5% whole wheat flours.  Baked at 460f 35 min.

Medium crust.  Lighter color.  Wide open crumb - too inconsistent for bread service at a restaurant.  Scores didn't open up enough.  Flavor, however, was outstanding.  I will take hydration down and reduce fermentation time to tighten up the crumb just a bit.