Day 2

The morning started out with looking at all the construction photos we had taken of the original oven. Since we are making a larger oven for our New Mexico BakeHouse, Tom wanted to review the work he had done. I was glad that we took as many photos as we did for it's proved to be extremely helpful now.

Reviewing the construction photos of our original New Jersey Oven

Now that we knew the size of the oven, it was easy to start laying out the floor space of the BakeHouse.

The final forms are set and digging can now begin. In order to avoid having to go for a permit, we're only allowed to have a building that is 12' x 10'. By doing it this way we can avoid all the waiting, fees and inspections that are involved with going bigger. And since the prep room will be attached to the home, we don't have to worry about having anything but the oven, proofer and bench in the building.

After all the digging is done around the forms and rebar and mesh are added, we'll be ready to pour cement. Our goal was for this coming Saturday, but we're thinking that the following Saturday will be more realistic since we have day jobs to go to.

Thanks for stopping by

Kath

Our personal inspector approves.

Day One

The BakeHouse project started with replacing the entry door that would be the entrance to the prep room. We think the door that was on the house was an original and you could see daylight around the edges. Tom was hoping that it would only be a 4 hour project, but we all know how those types of projects go! But he had great success and now the sand isn't coming through the bottom of the door!

Then it was off to Lowes to purchase the lumber needed for the forms for the cement pad that the BakeHouse building and oven will sit on along with the rebar and mesh.

 Making a list and checking it twice.

Loading up                          

Thanks for checking in - Kath

The BakeHouse Project Has Begun!

The rebuilding of the BakeHouse in Las Cruces, NM has begun! We are so excited. Today we'll be ordering all the Fire Bricks and also the high heat cement, Lumnite from Phoenix, AZ.







Tom and I will do the prep work for the concrete pad and the concrete contractors will come in about 2 weeks.

I'll be posting more often once we start digging and building. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Kath

Our new puppy, Bradley is checking out our work.

Trying something new . . .

BakeHouse Golden Corn with Hatch Green Chili!

Along with planning the BakeHouse in Las Cruces comes a time to test out new bread formulas. When living in Las Cruces, there is no choice in the matter, you MUST fall in love with the famous Green Chili from Hatch, NM and the Mesilla Valley. They've made there way to the Food Channel and a variety of special shows that showcase this regions most famous celebrity. It's going to take a couple of bakes to work out any kinks in the formula. I'll keep you posted on how it develops.

Three very sour & sleepy starters

This time of being a "home baker" has been a great journey of discovery. One of the things that I've enjoyed is getting to really "know" my three starters.

When I get ready to bake - I take them out of dormancy about a week before I actually need them. They are a bit sleepy and very sour, but they faithfully come back to life within two feedings and by the weeks end, they are bubbling and ready to go.

The main observation I've learned from my starters is that they prefer the 12 hour refreshments and only tolerate being forced in to dormancy. There seems to be an element of "stress" that the starters experience and it takes several refreshments for the stress to get worked out.

All this to say that the best part of baking bread is that the bread is always teaching the baker!

Thanks for checking in

Kath

It's a Winner!

The Apple Pecan Sourdough won the hearts of the Judges at the Western Pecan Growers Association! I even have a Pecan Grower wanting to barter his Pecans for Bread - now THAT sounds like a tasty deal!

Patience and Practice

Buenos Dias from Las Cruces, NM.
I was up at 3:30am this morning to bake off the 18 loaves of bread!

I'm grateful for the La Cloche clay bakers that I have - they are the closest I can get to what I pulled out of my Brick oven in NJ.

Speaking of the oven . . . yes, we are in the planning stages and we're really excited about it. It's amazing how long it takes to adjust to a big move and to closing down the BakeHouse in NJ.

In the meantime I'm putting our little kitchen to the test. It's amazing how creative you can get when you're passionate about something!

As you can see . . . it's very easy to convert a counter top to a bench:)

I find that I still do things the same way in regard to getting my Mise en place.

OK . . . I've had to really adjust to this mixer. And my husband Tom has become a pro at fixing it! I don't think it likes the demand I've put on it even though my mixes are very short . . . I think it also knows that I really, really miss my Big Boy Spiral Arm.

Here it is in waiting. The encouraging thing is that the mixer is waiting in the room that we hope will become my BakeHouse :)

And here's the last two loaves of the bake, Apple Pecan. I plan on entering this bread in the Western Pecan Growers Pecan Food Contest next weekend!

I'll let you know how it goes!

It's now 6:30am, the bake is done, sun is coming up and it looks like it's going to be another beautiful New Mexico Day! Be well everyone & blessings - Kath

We Made It . . . . !

It took us 4 days to make it to our new home in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We left the East Coast just as the snow was rolling in and found ourselves traveling through the nasty weather front until we got outside of Arkansas. After that it was sunny and warm for the rest of the trip.

It was good to have the four days of driving across the country to take a deep breath and process all that had happened to us in the last 4 months. Even the dogs enjoyed the extended nap time they got during the trip!

It wasn't but a few days after we arrived in Las Cruces that the movers arrived with all our STUFF from New Jersey - it seemed that the load had multiplied while in transit. We didn't remember packing so many boxes!

One of the last items to come off the truck was my bread mixer. Needless to say, I was very relieved to see it roll off the ramp safely! And the BakeHouse starters are doing well in their new home. I've noticed a change in the overall aroma as they take on some new characteristics from their environment. They will be in dormancy for a few more weeks as we get settled in our new home. I'm looking forward to making my first batch of New Mexico Sourdough Bread.

And today we became official New Mexico residents. It's all still surreal and we keep feeling like we'll be getting on a plane to head back from our "vacation".

Las Cruces has welcomed us with clear skies, warm days and chilly desert nights. Our neighbors have welcomed us with the warmth and kindness so familiar in this beautiful city. And every morning as I take the dogs out for their morning walk, I'm greeted by the beautiful Organ Mountains.

We are finding that requests for bread are starting to come in as people find out about the BakeHouse arriving in New Mexico. We'll keep you posted!

Thanks for sharing our journey - thoughtfully Kath & Tom