Brad'sabakin': Summer baking event in France

[mercurius]

Ben, Mick,

I'm sure that between Brad and me we will be able to pick Ben up on Thursday at 17.00.

Ben: can you pm me and Brad your mobile number and we'll give you ours so we can keep in touch to ensure we rendezvous.

[bprezant]

Regarding accomodation, there are numerous "gites de france" scattered throghout the region. There are published directories you can buy in tabac/bookstores, but also just looking for signs also seems to work, especially if you are not on an itinerary. We often stay in formula1, which is a 33-35 euro nightly charge for a clean tiny room with a double bed and a single bed above (bunk bed), a towel, a sink in the room, and showers and toilets down the hall. I dont like their breakfast, but you can get it there as well. The toilets and showers are really clean, it's the kind of place where the remote control is bolted to the bedframe. Beware - no Air conditioning if it's over 27 degrees, you could be pretty warm at nite. We actually like it alot. They're all over France, but typically you need a car as they're not convenient to train stations.
From Geneva, of course the mountains are nearby. I like the Chartreuse, as they are less touristed than the ski stations, but beautiful for walking, drinking Chartreuse (of course) and the chocolatier Bonnat north of Grenoble. I'd go to that area before the classic ski stations, more character, less tourists. Aix les Bain has a nice pool/spa at 25 euros per person per day, and interesting roman ruins below the old spa building, which is a gorgeous art deco masterpiece. Otherwise, touristy in summer. Lyon is a great city to visit if you want urban experiences.

[pab]

I've not been on the computer much recently, sorry.

I've only had time to scan the previous posts - tourist info I will add to the above over the weekend.

Ben, I can collect you from Culoz and take you to Brad's if you wish?

Will write in detail asap - I've never been so short of spare time in years...

Looking forward to it immensely.

Pete

[Ben]

Yes, thank you Pete for agreeing to pick me up from the station,
Ben

[pab]

A pleasure, Ben.

As for touristy things - well, I now know this area well as visitor and resident.

Don't like 'Formule 1' but often use 'Logis de France' - often cheap and characterful. Usually have a decent, often excellent, restaurant attached.

As for the area - it is massive, of course, and I still know but a tiny part of it.

I particularly enjoyed the Sud Grenoblois - stunning and unspoilt. If you want high drama take the pass from Martigny in Switzerland to Chamonix - glaciers, the lot etc but a lot more people. The 'Chartreuse' region is lovely. So is the drink but surely we should try the Kario version distilled in Belley - I prefer the 'Jaune'.

As for towns, I would avoid Aix-les-Bains unless I needed 'le cure'. It is a bit dreary and way above itself. The nicest in the Savoies is Annecy but it is busy. The south side of Lac Léman is lovely - Thonon, Evian etc but busy.

There is a wonderful drive from Nantua through to Bourg en Bresse for when you are planning to head to Ain (perhaps a bit far north?), but, personally, I would head to Ain earlier and have an explore. Perhaps via the 'Tunnel du Chat' for the views before and after.

Ain is much cheaper (everything in the Savoies is overpriced) and less crowded, not to mention both beautiful, charming and more friendly.

Don't miss the Bugey wines as they can be lovely. Probably going to be the next new Appelation Controllée - but already more than deserving.

Perhaps I am mixing in travel tips with what we might discover together at the bake.

Hope this is of some interest and use, and not too late.

Pete

[bprezant]

It's so cool to read Pete's impressions of our region! I agree with his insights, and it took me a year or so to discover many of the places he references. So enjoy the "undiscovered France"!

By the way, it's a 15 minute drive to a;grocery store, so let me know if you have special needs (e.g., vegetarian) so we can plan accordingly for meals.

Well, it's really getting close to kick-off! Volker and I discussed breads to make on Saturday. We came up with 8 different ones, my favorites, so here's a list and give me some feedback if they sound okay. I wanted to do at least a few using backferment, since it's such an interesting product and probably new to all of you.

Rheinische shrotbread, a wheat and yogurt bread leavened with backferment baked in a box to keep its shape

Dinkel fement spelt bread 100% also raised in a box with backferment. Great flavor all whole grain

Korn on Korn A really dense whole grain bread with soaked wheat kernels; usually sits a day or two before eating. Very germanic...

100% sourdough rye, (sauerteig) a multiple day elaborated sourdough rye that is very flavorful and dense.

dinkeltoastbrot an enriched bread leavened with backferment with white flour , eggs, and milk. Mkes great toast but also tastes very flavorful eaten untoasted, not your basic Wonder bread...

whole wheat croissants with butter

maybe something with dried fruit and nuts?

quinoa, barley, or oat bread?

whole wheat?

Any other desires?

[bethesdabakers]

Wow - take me on a voyage of discovery. That all sounds great.

Wholemeal spelt gives me most trouble so anything on that. I'm interested to understand the backferment process but I wouldn't want the whole day dominated by it because sourdough's always going to be my thing.

Quinoa, barley, oats - very interested.

See you soon.

Mick

[Ben]

The list of bread types does sound great and hopefully we'll learn lots of new things to try back at home. I hope to see some of the local sights as well on my bike, fuelled by lots of bread!
Ben

[mercurius]

Brad & Pete,

Thank you very much for your native, insider recommendations and guide to the region. It's certainly given us lots to see and do in this part of la France profonde.

Brad: Claire and I don't eat red meat or pasta. Hope this doesn't cause you too much of a problem on the catering front.

The list of breads you propose looks excellent. I don't know anything about German bread, so it will all be new to me. I am particularly interested in the backferment process. There doesn't seem to be much about it on the net, but I don't speak German, so it's probably there and I just can't read it. As for sweet baking, I know nothing apart from Stollen, so again I'll go with your recommendations.

Thank you for all the work and planning you are putting into organising the event. We are really looking forward to it. The adventure starts for us on Tuesday morning when we fly out to Geneva!

Look forward to meeting up with everyone.

[jc]

Hi Brad,

Your list of suggestions looks super, thanks for coming up with all of that. I'm really keen to get to grips with spelt and rye; croissants are something that I've been meaning to try for ages but haven't got round to; dried fruits and seeds sound nice to go with some local cheese ; quinoa, oats and barley would be helpful as I'm trying to learn to bake for a wheat-intolerant friend.

I think it'd be great to have a go at using backferment having heard about it on this forum. I'm not sure though that it's even available in England so, like Mick, I don't think I'd use it that much in the future.

We'll both eat anything and everything!

Forgot to mention departure plans: ideally we'd like to get a train from Culoz at 12.45 on Monday if anyone can drop us off. If that'll be a problem we can always leave earlier with the others and have a look round Geneva when we get there.

I can't believe it's arrived so quickly - only 3 days of work to go John, I hope you enjoy your short adventure. We'll see you at Culoz on Thursday.

Jonathan

PS..Claire baked her first loaf today in preparation for the big weekend!