of the same name. I loved it. His anthropological approach to the art of cooking helped explain to me why I'm drawn to it so. I know he has written many other books so I have some catching up to do!http://michaelpollan.com/books/cooked/
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I just finished reading Michael Pollan's book, "Cooked," after watching his Netflix series
- Thread starter joe
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I love his books. Last night I listed to a program in which the male guest was speaking about
GMO's and how they are causing digestive issues in many of us. The animals which supply mostly the fast food chains are given the gmo corn and soy. He advised staying away from fast food places and eating only organic, locally sourced meats. I just can't understand how the people have allowed Monsanto and other evil agri business people to do what they are doing to our food. The digestive issues is only the start of it and no one really seems to know what they will cause long term. Michael Pollen is the one who first got me interested in where our food comes from and how it is grown. He also said we should all be gluten free!
GMO's and how they are causing digestive issues in many of us. The animals which supply mostly the fast food chains are given the gmo corn and soy. He advised staying away from fast food places and eating only organic, locally sourced meats. I just can't understand how the people have allowed Monsanto and other evil agri business people to do what they are doing to our food. The digestive issues is only the start of it and no one really seems to know what they will cause long term. Michael Pollen is the one who first got me interested in where our food comes from and how it is grown. He also said we should all be gluten free!
I just ordered some of his others. I loved his humor and his curiosity--not at all preachy.
He must have revised his approach to Gluten because this one has a whole section on making bread. But it is long-fermented sourdough bread with stone-milled grain. I tried it last weekend and it was pretty good--I need to work on the consistency. There is some evidence that it is not gluten per se that people are sensitive to, but modern wheat and commercial yeast, and the fast-track approach to modern bread making that doesn't allow for fermentation.
He must have revised his approach to Gluten because this one has a whole section on making bread. But it is long-fermented sourdough bread with stone-milled grain. I tried it last weekend and it was pretty good--I need to work on the consistency. There is some evidence that it is not gluten per se that people are sensitive to, but modern wheat and commercial yeast, and the fast-track approach to modern bread making that doesn't allow for fermentation.
I've noticed some of the bread in the H-E-B bakery have "natural leaven" on the label. I asked what
it meant, but the answer wasn't informative and it was clear he didn't really know. Now I wonder if what you said about commercial yeast is why they are offering alternatives. The bread was good, a 9 grain, I think it was. They sell 7, 9 and 10 grain breads at different times. I get confused. Pretty much taste the same to me. They sell the same varieties of loaves that don't say naturally leavened.
it meant, but the answer wasn't informative and it was clear he didn't really know. Now I wonder if what you said about commercial yeast is why they are offering alternatives. The bread was good, a 9 grain, I think it was. They sell 7, 9 and 10 grain breads at different times. I get confused. Pretty much taste the same to me. They sell the same varieties of loaves that don't say naturally leavened.
I believe "sourdough" and "natural leaven" are the same. They're a collection of yeasts and bacteria
trapped from the air by a mixture of flour and water. I got mine started with a recipe from the LA Times years ago that started with pineapple juice and whole wheat flour, and I've had it going for years despite long stretches of neglect at the back of the refrigerator.
Commercial yeast is a single strain that is very efficient, but the theory is that the multiple strains in a sourdough do a slower but more complete fermentation, resulting in a more digestible and nutritious bread. Even a white flour loaf of sourdough bread is supposed to have a lower glycemic index than a white loaf made with commercial yeast.
I can vouch for the slower rise!
A lot of the "sourdough" bread we grew up with was made with commercial yeast too, using the starter more for flavor than function. Those breads are quite sour. I think changing the name to "natural leaven" is an attempt to get away from that image, and to make it clear there is no commercial yeast in the bread. I've found that using a small amount of starter at first and nursing it along gives a really flavorful result that is not very sour at all. In France, they call it "pain levain." They don't keep a starter going; instead they keep a piece of dough from each day's batch to begin building the dough for the next day.
I'm not a purist. I use commercial yeast for baguettes, pizza dough and focaccia, but I'm trying to do more sourdough and more whole grains for everyday bread.
https://cooking-ez.com/four/recipe-natural-leaven.html
trapped from the air by a mixture of flour and water. I got mine started with a recipe from the LA Times years ago that started with pineapple juice and whole wheat flour, and I've had it going for years despite long stretches of neglect at the back of the refrigerator.
Commercial yeast is a single strain that is very efficient, but the theory is that the multiple strains in a sourdough do a slower but more complete fermentation, resulting in a more digestible and nutritious bread. Even a white flour loaf of sourdough bread is supposed to have a lower glycemic index than a white loaf made with commercial yeast.
I can vouch for the slower rise!
A lot of the "sourdough" bread we grew up with was made with commercial yeast too, using the starter more for flavor than function. Those breads are quite sour. I think changing the name to "natural leaven" is an attempt to get away from that image, and to make it clear there is no commercial yeast in the bread. I've found that using a small amount of starter at first and nursing it along gives a really flavorful result that is not very sour at all. In France, they call it "pain levain." They don't keep a starter going; instead they keep a piece of dough from each day's batch to begin building the dough for the next day.
I'm not a purist. I use commercial yeast for baguettes, pizza dough and focaccia, but I'm trying to do more sourdough and more whole grains for everyday bread.
https://cooking-ez.com/four/recipe-natural-leaven.html