The Country Loaf returns with a first-for-us blend of Emmer and Spelt, plus a note for the bread nerds on how we dial in hydration.
Einkorn loaves, right after scoring and just before going into the oven
May 17th, 2026
Hello on this (much-needed) rainy afternoon!
We're bringing back the Country Loaf this week, but it will be made with a blend of Emmer and Spelt, a first for us. The Country Loaf has always been an opportunity for us to play around with grains and grain blends, and we'd like to get back to that. This ancient-grain blend is something I'm curious to try, plus the Emmer has been a popular loaf.
This is for all of the bread nerds on the email list:
If you got Multigrain or Parmesan Peppercorn Bread from us last weekend, you probably noticed it was a little flatter than usual. Still the same texture, nutrition, and flavor…just not as tall as we strive for. Hydration is the issue, and it's tricky to determine as several factors must be considered. (By hydration, we mean the amount of water we use in a batch of dough in proportion to the total amount of flour.)
When we increase the number of loaves we're doing for market season, we take into account the fact that there will be more moisture when we're doing cold fermentation overnight. Thus, we reduce the hydration a bit. Inclusions (parmesan, peppercorn, the multigrain blend, cinnamon, raisins, etc) are also a factor: some, like the parmesan and the multigrain blend, can absorb water, while others, like the Castelvetrano olives, can add moisture. We soak the multigrain blend to account for this, but when we scale up, it's hard to get this amount of moisture just right.
Once you think you have it figured out, something else pops up to complicate matters. A couple of weeks ago, we had English muffins that were a little flatter and baguettes that dried out a bit during the cold fermentation. This past weekend, Meghan suggested we put the English muffins below the baguettes the keep the muffins drier and the baguettes moist. Success! We got back to our usual English muffins and baguettes.
These days, every week is a learning experience. This is what I mean when I write that while we don’t always hit the mark, we’re constantly learning and striving to get better. Thanks for keeping us in bread as we learn!
- Ashley & Paul
P.S. You'll also find our cherry-ginger scones on the menu as well. (They're 100% whole grain.)
We're bringing back the Country Loaf this week, but it will be made with a blend of Emmer and Spelt, a first for us. The Country Loaf has always been an opportunity for us to play around with grains and grain blends, and we'd like to get back to that. This ancient-grain blend is something I'm curious to try, plus the Emmer has been a popular loaf.
This is for all of the bread nerds on the email list:
If you got Multigrain or Parmesan Peppercorn Bread from us last weekend, you probably noticed it was a little flatter than usual. Still the same texture, nutrition, and flavor…just not as tall as we strive for. Hydration is the issue, and it's tricky to determine as several factors must be considered. (By hydration, we mean the amount of water we use in a batch of dough in proportion to the total amount of flour.)
When we increase the number of loaves we're doing for market season, we take into account the fact that there will be more moisture when we're doing cold fermentation overnight. Thus, we reduce the hydration a bit. Inclusions (parmesan, peppercorn, the multigrain blend, cinnamon, raisins, etc) are also a factor: some, like the parmesan and the multigrain blend, can absorb water, while others, like the Castelvetrano olives, can add moisture. We soak the multigrain blend to account for this, but when we scale up, it's hard to get this amount of moisture just right.
Once you think you have it figured out, something else pops up to complicate matters. A couple of weeks ago, we had English muffins that were a little flatter and baguettes that dried out a bit during the cold fermentation. This past weekend, Meghan suggested we put the English muffins below the baguettes the keep the muffins drier and the baguettes moist. Success! We got back to our usual English muffins and baguettes.
These days, every week is a learning experience. This is what I mean when I write that while we don’t always hit the mark, we’re constantly learning and striving to get better. Thanks for keeping us in bread as we learn!
- Ashley & Paul
P.S. You'll also find our cherry-ginger scones on the menu as well. (They're 100% whole grain.)
Pre-Order Menu
Bread
Country Sourdough Bread
Einkorn Sourdough Bread
Herbed Cheddar Sourdough Bread
Rosemary Olive Oil Sourdough Bread
Cookies
Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie
Brownie Cookie
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Spiced Molasses Cookie
Rolls & Muffins
Spelt English Muffins
Mixes
Cinnamon & Oat Pancake Mix
Einkorn Pancake Mix
Specialty Flours
Einkorn Wheat Flour
Kamut® Wheat Flour
Ryman Rye Flour
Spelt Wheat Flour
Turkey Red Wheat Flour
Items
Cherry-Ginger Scone
Granola
Cranberry-Pecan Sourdough Granola
Sourdough Granola