Saturday, October 18, 2014

Artisan Bread is Art

Here I am slicing up the artisan bread I just spent five hours creating, with the help of a creative friend.  Every time I go into my studio to create a ceramic or calligraphy  piece, it seems to take much longer and be more involved than I originally thought.This art seems to be the same. 
I like the thought that what I eat is healthy and fresh. I must confess I grew up on wonder bread. As a kid, I never had spaghetti that didn't come out of a can. Pepper was an exotic spice that I started using when I was on my own. So you can see, this is more foreign than loading my kiln or teaching students how to hold their pen.
The term artisan refers to a handmade loaf that has an original shape.Often it is round or oblong, with lots of crust. This one is full of nuts and seeds and organic wheat flour. Before it goes in the oven, the chef scores the loaf with a sharp knife. It's like a signature on your work.
While playing with the sticky dough, shaping it with my hands until the consistency was just right, it felt a bit like wedging my clay. Each step must be done in a precise order to get desired results. There has to be time to let the yeast rise. In ceramics, if you rush it, there is a chance of breakage. It is all about the final result.
I don't think it is a mistake that the word "art "appears in artisan bread. 

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