Sourdough focaccia, now in the Times Earlier this week, a recipe of mine went up on NYT Cooking. It’s a sourdough focaccia, the first of several I’ll be writing for them as a contributor over the coming months. I’ve been reading the Times food section for longer than I’ve been baking bread, so seeing my name above a recipe there was a strange and quiet kind of good. It was enlightening working with the (excellent) team at the Times on this recipe. And of course, most of the back and forth was...

My best whole-grain breads This past week, I've been testing whole-grain flour in a few new ways, and it's got me thinking: this week's newsletter should follow suit! So this week, it’s all whole grains. Not every loaf is 100% whole wheat, but the flavor and nutrition are front and center in each one. Plus a few freshly milled loaves, if that’s your thing too. But first! I wanted to share a pizza I made in my home oven. Read on! In this week's newsletter: Recipes: 90 Rye; 100% Whole Wheat;...

Why I love pumpkin (in bread) Pumpkin bread isn't about flavor; at least, that's not its main point. It's about what the puree does to the dough: it hydrates like water but tenderizes it like butter, leaving a soft, golden crumb. And I always opt for canned pumpkin puree for baking for a few reasons: It's easy It's consistent It's widely available The color alone is worth it, I think, that saffron-orange you can see on the outside, and certainly when you're pulling rolls apart with a cotton...