Friday, March 21, 2008

Rosemary Focaccia

Yesterday, before the tragic news started pouring in, I was happily working in the garden. I got beds prepared and sage and fennel and peas planted. And as I worked, I kept thinking about the Greek Oregano that grew from the crevices and stones in the streets of Istanbul. Joy of the mountain, is what oregano means. I understand now. I wanted, so desperately, to bring a cutting home.

The more I got to thinking about it, the more I could almost taste Istanbul and its fresh-baked bread. I loved the food there - so simple, straightforward and spicy. Lunch is typically bread, cheese, vegetables. Fresh bread, creamy cheese, and ripe, honest veggies. Oh gosh. We're at a good stopping point. Let's snip some rosemary and make some homemade focaccia for lunch.

So I did. I hadn't made focaccia since college, and I now know this to be the trick: you have to start with the recipe. You can have the best flour in the world. You can be the best kneader ever. But use a recipe for focaccia that's too heavy or too sweet or too eggy and you're wasting your time.

I think fellow blogger Stephen has hit upon the recipe for homemade focaccia. I'd go to the trouble to reproduce it here, only his blog has tips and topping suggestions and he seems to answer every question before you ask it. So here's the link to his Quick Rosemary Focaccia.

Bread baking really is simple, especially once you try it. I love to bake my bread on days I have other plates in the air. Mix dough... weed carrot bed. Knead dough... take out trash. Form loaves... fold laundry. Bake bread... pay bills. And by lunch you have freshly-baked bread, just as if you were in Istanbul.

Wish you were here to join me. This stuff makes the best bread ever and the recipe makes two - one for me and one for you. We could consider it my Good Friday offering....

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think I just might try it! Sounds easy even though I'm sure it's not! Maybe once I get the hang of it.

Anonymous said...

I may have just shorted out my keyboard from the drool that escaped my mouth. Thanks for the link to the recipe!

laurel said...

OH. MY. GOODNESS. I "heart" rosemary focaccia bread!
Yours is absolutely beautiful and I will be trying that recipe. Thanks for the link!

Betty said...

Mmm..that bread looks ever so delicious! I must try this recipe, I love to bake breads or anything 'yeasty'.
Your bread looks just perfect, Brin...I can almost taste it!
Thank you for the link to the recipe.

Vee said...

Why does reading your blog inspire me to even attempt such things. I say to myself all the time "but you're not Brin!"

It looks so delicious, you make it sound easy...sort of...you provide the link and then you describe just such a day as I'll have tomorrow and it makes me feel as if I, too, could bake focaccia bread.

This weekend sounds as if it will be a rough one, but may you all feel the presence of God even in the midst of these sorrows.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy focaccia but I don't think I've ever had it made fresh...I can't wait to try this. I think I may make a loaf of your strawberry bread this evening, I enjoyed that so much and now with strawberries a-plenty, why not? Thanks for the recipe Brin :).

Christian - Modobject@Home said...

I can't wait to try this! Thanks for sharing your recipe source, and as usual I delight in the photos!

Anonymous said...

Hi Brin...thanks so much for the link ! Your focaccia looks great and the process photos are really helpful...

best, Stephen