The value of education

 

Yeast and sourdough are living organisms, just like human beings. And just like human beings, they react differently to different conditions. Even on an individual basis. We may all be human beings but we are not all the same. Well, it's the same for yeast and sourdough. But on a general level, we - both the human being and yeast (whether commercial or natural), are fairly predictable. If we feel a threat coming on, we assume a defensive state of mind and posture. But if we feel really good, we get going, full throttle. The problem is to recognize those little factors that make us react. The trigger point.

Because of those little factors that make us react, what worked for you yesterday, in terms of baking, may not always bring you the same result today. You have to learn to "read the traffic", to use a relatable term. The weather may not be the same it was yesterday. It may be a little colder or warmer today and therefor your kitchen may be a little colder or warmer than yesterday. Today you may have a window or  your balcony door open, which will create a bit of a draft. All those little things are going to impact how your yeast/sourdough organism work and that will impact how your dough turns out, which in turn will have an impact on how your bread bakes and looks.

All of the above brings us to the Alpha and Omega of baking, the mea culpa, the inevitable but much disliked truth:

Anyone can bake, as in throw some flour and water together, hurl it through a vastly ignored or never understood process and have something come out in the end we lable as bread. In fact, the entire Canadian "professional" baking industry is at that level. But to truly understand what you are doing and why - what makes you a professional or something less, you have to learn about chemistry, biology and phsyics, because those three concepts are what all baking is based upon. The one example I mentioned above, will hopefully makes you realize that to fully understand how yeast cells work (whether commercial yeast or sourdough), you have to know about biology, because biology is what living organisms are about. There is no substitute for education and despite what I have seen hundreds of times over my (at present) 45 years of baking, even from "professionals" and business owners, there is no magic bullet that makes you a "baker" in 45 minutes as long as you "run all the numbers" the same every day. Even if you are dumb and uneducated enough to believe that, the only thing you accomplice by following that doctrine, is proving your level of intelligence and education, your level of understanding much of what is going on when you are baking. 

I have all the respect for "kitchen bakers" and "home bakers" in the world and will do nearly anything in the world - for free - to help them on their way to succes. But I have absolutely zero respect for anyone calling themselves a "baker" (even less if you add the term "professional") if you really have no clue what you are doing or why, which is the case with most people in the "professional" baking industry in Canada. What I have seen in my so far 45 years of baking, is truly shocking. Especially the last 35 (in Canada) where there is zero baking education.

So, understanding biology will make it easier for you to deal with yeast and sourdough products successfully (just one example).

Understanding physics will help you with anything that goes through a whipping/beating/mixing process. Mixing your dough is a lesson in physics (just like making beating your whipping cream) and often you need knowledge of all three processes because they are interactive. When you go through the physical process of mixing your dough, it will trigger the biological process because the temperature of your dough will be affected, which in turn will decide how your yeast/sourdough (your biological entity) will respond, so really...to fully understand baking, you need to understand biology, physics and chemistry (all included in the 4 year Danish apprenticeship and journeyman education as legislated and approved by the ministry of education).

Yes, you are right. I didn't touch on chemistry yet. Here it is: Do you understand gasses, compounds, fumes, vapours? That's ok. But really, you should. Especially if you proclaim to be a professional baker. If you have ever baked anything using baking power, baking soda or ammonium bicarbonate (yes, that's used in the industry, too)...you really should. Those three are all initiating a chemical process that is crucial to that particular type of baking.

Now, absolutely nobody in a sane state of mind would expect you to become "Albert Einstein" of baking and that is not required, either, but basic understanding of Chemistry, biology and physics are absolutely crucial if you want to call yourself a professional. Any "Dr. Mom" should know at least a little bit of what is happening when she is treating her child, right? Well, my child is baking and if you need any help, I am here for you, any time, for free.

Happy baking!

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