Bake (b)log

 It's hard to believe that Basic Kneads has been here on Gore st for over a year. Time flies when you are slinging loaves and taking names. Here we are back into the busy season of cottagers returning to the many lakes surrounding Perth and tourists looking for a weekend or even an afternoon away from the busy cities. Locals are filling their social calendars with music festivals, camping trips and get togethers with friends who are out of their winter hibernation or back from their winters spent in warmer climates. There are so many occasions to share a meal and break bread with the people you love.  The bakery rolls on! We have added to our roster and extended our hours, welcoming Beau to the team three days a week, the return of Mix Master Michael to full time and opening up 7 days a week to bake wheat while the sun is shining. The current summer schedule actually works out better for Yoshi and I as we each get (theoretically) two more days off a month. In reality July was ...

 Rusty's log stardate: -299960.81 Perth Ontario: Temp 5 C  humidity: 76% Basic Kneads: Temp: 24 C Humidity: 30% There are three questions I am asked several times everyday. They are: Do you have any Sourdough? Do you do anything gluten-free? and What time do you wake up in the morning?  So I thought I would tackle the first two quickly and digress with the third. Sourdough? Yes Please! Everyday we are making baguettes, country loaves and Euro loaves that use a sourdough starter. These loaves are NOT 100% sourdough as the starter makes up only 25% of the leavening agents. The taste is improved but the yeast does not break down the sugars in the same way that is necessary for diabetics and people with gluten intolerances to eat it. But fear not! Wednesdays we make a traditional 100% white sourdough, and Friday is Rye-Day, with a 100% sourdough rye. We bake them in 2 sizes and they sell out fast so its best to put your orders in in advance.  Gluten-free? Never hear...

 Rusty's Log Stardate 78355.7 Perth Ontario : Temp: 5 C Humidity: 84% Basic Kneads: Temp: 25.6 Humidity: 34% Finally some time to sit down and get some words out. Basic Kneads is running near non-stop as we ready for the colder weather. The snows have so far been kept at bay and here at 98 Gore street we are staying nice and warm by the ovens (often a little too warm for Yoshi) and Micheal is steeling himself for his first Canadian winter and looking to the sky for his first sight of snow. We have settled into a weekly routine of  rolling and baking mixing and sleeping and getting up before the sun to do it all again. We have finally decided on a weekly rotation of daily specials to add to the Basics Menu. These specials are generally more complicated types of bread and a welcome challenge to keep us on our toes. Cheese twists, Everything you Knead Loaf, Pumpernickel, Cinnamon sugar Fritters, Oat Stout and of Course Friday's : Sourdough Rye. What is it about sourdough that att...

 Rusty’s log  Stardate -299749.51 Perth Ontario: Temp 13.9 C Humidity 89% Basic Kneads: Temp 25.2 C Humidity 46% Another Monday morning. The sun is slowly rising outside our bakery window. Cars are rolling by and the display shelves are empty, waiting for another week to start. This coming week marks a milestone for Yoshi and I. July, August and September were dedicated to getting the bakery running and baking bread for the people of Perth. October is the beginning of baking for local businesses. This started last Saturday with our first delivery to Gather, a local lunch restaurant who ran a sandwich special with our bread. There were also baguettes delivered to Maximilian’s who we hope to supply with sliced pumpernickel and rye for sandwiches. 1827 Wine and Cheese Lounge will also be receiving baguettes daily for their charcuterie and cheese boards and croutons.  The summer tourists season is winding down, kids back at school and the expected slump in bread sales with le...

 Rusty’s log: Stardate: -299633.37 Perth Ontario : temp 14 C humidity 89% Basic Kneads:  temp 28 C humidity 58% A cold and rainy day is August, no better day to invest in the future. But first, a big Basic Kneads welcome to Michael, our very first employee! Michael comes to us from Ghana, where bread is baked fresh using white flour with very little crunch to its crust. It is called Tea Bread and Yoshi and I look forward to learning to bake it for him and his family. Michael is learning the ropes of the bakery and picking up the rhythm of our days quite quickly. He is providing much needed help in our long evening mixing process and seems to have an endless supply of energy and enthusiasm. We are very glad to have him on the team.  Another team member has joined us today (that’s the investment I referred to). Today, Michael, Yoshi and I , along with help from a our new friend Brett and his truck and trailer, hit the road and headed to Westport to meet up with Hans and Ann...

 Rusty’s Log Stardate -299594.78 Perth Ontario: temp 22.6 C humidity 94% Basic Kneads: temp 25.7 C humidity 63% What a month it has been. Four straight weeks of bread, sold out everyday and a constant increase in production has resulted in two very happy bakers. Yoshi and I are thrilled with the response from the town, the repeat customers we are getting to know by name and loaf preference, the rhythm of our days and nights and getting used to the early mornings and long hot days in front of the ovens. Today is a Monday and we bake no bread. That doesn’t mean we have the day off. To prepare for the coming week there is lots to do. Raisins are soaking in our chai blend, olives are being chopped and herbs portioned for olive loaf, our seed mix is being blended for the topping of our country loaf.  Carl jr and Yuri are being carefully fed, as well as our newest creation and Carl’s cohort in crime: Rye-an, our rye sourdough starter. This past week we began testing out recipes for ...