Hand-crafted, long-fermented, hot-hearth baked - these are the hallmarks of artisan bread. In this course we’ll explore pre-ferments and a long cool rise to extract maximum flavor from the grains. We'll practice skills that will help you achieve consistency in your baking, shape beautiful artisan loaves, and use techniques to fit baking into your busy life. In Artisan Breads I we will make Pan au Levain, Sourdough Boule with variations, and Herbed Flatbreads. We will bake in North House Folk School’s wood-fired oven, and you will learn how to create the hot-hearth experience in your home oven. Open to beginning and intermediate bakers, this course requires the ability to stand for periods of time, to knead dough by hand, and to walk to and from the teaching kitchen and the outdoor wood-fired oven. Artisan Breads I is not a pre-requisite to Artisan Breads II.

You will need the following tools for this class:

2 cloth or paper bags to take your bread home in

**IMPORTANT**  a bag lunch for Saturday's class. The Oven and the Bread are in charge of our day.  There is no guarantee there will be time to go out and get lunch. There won't be a formal dinner break during Friday's 5-9 pm session. Students are encouraged to bring a bag dinner and snack as we work.

One quart-size container with lid, if you want to take sourdough home

bench knife/scaper

electronic kitchen scale

camera

apron

small coiled or wicker baskets (without handles)

any favorite bread baking tool you would like to use during class.