Eat Bread With Me: Asheville Artisan Bread Festival Saturday classes

Photo above shows baked and beautifully layered croissants by Jeff Yankellow.

SATURDAY CLASSES (that I was able to
participate):

- World-Class Croissants at home - by Master Baker Jeff Yankellow

Jeff Yankellow started the class talking about how his friend James MacGuire inspired him to bake a croissant recipe based on a 1920's croissant recipe. The entire class was a delight, Jeff is a talented teacher and baker. He was always willing to explain, help, and had a smile in his face at all times. He made the whole process appear so easy and effortless that I was certain he loves what he does and has lots of practice and experience. The croissants were made with type 85 flour which has around 10-15 parts sifted to make a 85% whole wheat. He filled them with local cheese and seasoned with nutmeg. The result was a crisp, savory and beautifully layered croissant.
He also made, with the same dough, croissant rolls filled with dry Turkish figs that were immersed in red wine and sugar, simmered and separated from its syrup. Then he chopped the figs into small pieces and spread it over the dough, topping it with blue cheese, and toasted and chopped walnuts.
Both were delicious. It was a wonderful class. Some people got a chance to do some hands on work with Jeff's help. I will definitely try to see what I have learned and make them at home soon.

Photo above shows lamination of the dough.

Photo above shows Jeff Yankellow shaping croissants.

Photo above shows Jeff cutting the rolled and filled dough.

Photo above shows how the shaped croissant roll.

Photo below shows Jeff egg washing the croissant rolls

Photo above shows baked and beautifully layered croissants by Jeff Yankellow.

Photo above shows sliced croissant rolls filled with fig preserve blue cheese and walnuts by Jeff Yankelow

- Whole Grain Breads with Local Flour - by Master Baker Lionel Vatinet.

At noon, Lionel Vatinet started his class. In the beginning he talked about flours and Jennifer Lapidus from Carolina Ground gave us a quick overview about the process of milling flour.
Then Lionel thought us how to make 100% rye bread with toasted seeds and demonstrated how to do the classic types of dough shaping. He stresses the importance of toasting seeds for better flavor, and also discussed how the temperature, humidity and climate in general can interfere with how long bulk fermentation showed be and how the hand of an experienced baker can learn the signs from the dough and know how to adapt and make changes. He was such a fun instructor. He made the class very entertaining and after tasting his breads I will try to make one very soon.
My only regret is that I was so anxious to taste the bread that I forgot to take a picture of it.

Photo above shows Lionel mixing the dough.

Photo below is of the dough divided and ready to be shaped

Photos above shows Lionel demonstrating how to do the classic dough shapes. He did two rolls on the left the right way and demonstrated how NOT to do them, the two on the right.

Photo above shows shaped batard.

Photo above shows baguettes being shaped.

- At The Frontiers of Bread Baking - By Master Baker Peter Reinhart.

Peter Reinhart's class was so inspiring and interesting. He brought a lot of new ingredients to present to us. I learned about spent grain (probiotein), grape seed flour and oil, grape skin flour. He thought us how to make Sprouted Flour Focaccia and Sprouted Wheat with Grape Skin and Grape Seed Flour Soft Rolls. The breads tested delicious, they were very soft and full of flavor. The grape seed flour had such a wonderful smell to it that made the bread an elegant delight.
I have being using sprouted flour ever since I read about it in Peter's book Bread Revolution last year. But after listening to all the details about it I felt that I learned a lot more. He talked about the process of baking bread, the techniques, the use of ancient grains and brought all the old knowledge about bread baking to the light of the new scientific discoveries and ingredients that are now readily available for the home baker to make not only healthy bread, but delicious healthy bread.
I also got so into eating the bread that I forgot to take a picture of it.