Brew House Bread Workshop

Every month, the Buffalo Barn Raisers hold a home brewing workshop.  A batch of beer is brewed, the previous month's beer is sampled, knowledge is passed on, and everyone enjoys good drink and good company.  This month's home brew workshop takes place next Tuesday - see the Barn Raisers calendar for more info.

Robert Turley leads the workshop (foreground) while the F&D ladies chitchat (left).  Photo from buffalobarnraisers.com

Why am I telling you all this?  Well, the spent grain (mostly malted barley) from the homebrewing process is what we use to make our Brew House Bread, which is the bread we'll be making from start to finish this month at our workshop!  It's a hearty loaf interspersed with the grains that lend it both flavor and texture.

Join us if you are a brewer, a baker, a beginner, or anything in between!  We'll be baking out of the F&D clay oven but will be spending the rest of the workshop indoors, since it'll probably be chilly in late November.

Brew House Bread Workshop
Sunday Nov. 20
12-4pm
153 Eaton St.
Buffalo NY 14208

RSVP by email or phone:
fancyanddelicious@gmail.com
(716) 534-8385

Multigrain at MAP farmstand Friday

Hey bread lovers!  Tomorrow (Friday Nov. 4 from 4-6 pm), our multigrain bread will be at the Massachusetts Avenue Project farmstand at 389 Mass Ave.  Drop by, pick up a loaf for your weekend toast and sandwiches, tour the garden, and stock up on their fresh and beautiful veggies all in one stop!

In bread we trust,
Fancy

New photos and workshop details

Thanks to everyone who came out and saw us at the Horsefeathers Community Market groundbreaking event on October 22!  It was great chatting with so many bread aficionados and local food lovers, and we'll keep you posted as we figure out our winter bread selling and distribution game plan.

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Pictures from the last two workshops (multigrain and pie) as well as a few other recent events are online:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/fancydelicious/pool/

Add your own bread photos if you like!

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November's workshop details:

Brew House Bread Workshop
Make your own loaf of wheat bread with spent barley grain left over from the home brewed beer-making process.  Includes lunch.  By donation.

Sunday, Nov. 20
12-4pm
208 North St. (corner of North and Elmwood)
Buffalo, NY 14201

RSVP to fancyanddelicious@gmail.com or (716) 534-8385.

In bread we trust,
Fancy

Multigrain Workshop: a hearty afternoon of bread and sunshine

Sunday's workshop fell on a beautiful sunny October day, so lingering outside was a definite pleasant possibility.  Here's a taste of that afternoon:

Tori (in the mushroom apron below) led the group through the process of making multigrain bread: mixing, kneading, rising, shaping, proofing, and baking.  The Farmer Ground Flour we use mixed with oats, quinoa, and hemp seeds gave the bread a delicious, rich, sweet and nutty flavor.

We try to take at least one group shot in front of the oven each time.  Notice the gorgeous new peels, made for us by good buddy and owner of the Eaton St. house and oven, Megan of RustedGrain Woodshop!

The brick oven is hot for hours and hours, not just the ~45 minutes needed to bake the bread.  We like to take advantage of that by making lunch and snacks in the oven.  It's a blast to cook in!

This month, I whipped up some pizzas and roasted root vegetables.  Megan made a scrumptious parsley pesto for the pizza and the crust had the leftover multigrain mix from the bread kneaded in.

More workshop pictures will be posted in the Flickr group in the upcoming days.  Please join and add your own bread photos!  Whether it's eating our bread or making your own, we can't be the only ones baking...

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Our next workshop will be Sunday, November.  We'll be making Brew House Bread: a new bread from the summer breadshare that has become a runaway hit in our little circle of bread-loving friends.  It's made with spent grain left over after the process of brewing beer.  Much of the grain we use is left over from the Buffalo Barnraisers Homebrew Night, held monthly by friends of ours.  Since November seems a little dicier in terms of weather it will not be held at the earth oven, but will nevertheless be a chance to make your own loaf of artisan bread from our own not-so-secret recipe and talk shop, maybe make a friend!  Join us in the cozy co-op house kitchen for bread, snacks, chat, and perhaps even a brew or two.

Brew House Bread Workshop
Sunday, Nov. 20
12-4pm
208 North St. (corner of North and Elmwood)
Buffalo, NY 14201

In bread we trust,
Fancy

Multigrain bread workshop this Sunday!

Other than having constant access to fresh-baked artisan bread, one of the best perks about being part of Fancy & Delicious is the chance to hang out at our clay oven every month and make bread with Buffalo area bread lovers.  From raw beginners to experienced bakers, everyone goes home with some new knowledge and a loaf of freshly baked bread.

This Sunday we're having a workshop that addresses an oldie but goodie: multigrain bread.

Using wheat flour grown and milled in Ithaca and an assortment of whole grains, we'll take this healthy staple from start to finish.

Multigrain Bread Workshop
Sunday, October 23
12-4 pm
153 Eaton St.
Buffalo, NY 14120

Please RSVP to fancyanddelicious@gmail.com – and if afterward you can't make it for some reason, please let us know!

In bread we trust,
F&D

F&D video on Buffalo.com!

First things first, go watch: http://home.buffalo.com/grub-pub/video/fancy-delicious-bakery-co/

 
Second: thank you S.J!  What a beautiful video.

Third: if you like what you see and want to bake in our clay oven, there are still a few spots left for our pie workshop tomorrow (Sunday, September 25.)  Details in the post below this one.  RSVP to fancyanddelicious@gmail.com to reserve a spot.


Pie workshop

September 25
153 Eaton St.
Buffalo, NY 12-4pm

 

In bread we trust,

F&D

Pie workshop this weekend!

This Sunday at our clay oven F&D will be hosting a pie workshop and we have a few spots left. Come on over to the East Side, whip up a rustic pear pie, and bake it in the backyard oven where our bakery began. And most of all, if our past workshops have been any indication, you'll enjoy an afternoon of discussion and community celebrating all things baked!

Please RSVP. Feel free to bring along another pie filling if you're not feeling the pear pie.  

Pie workshop
September 25
153 Eaton St.
Buffalo, NY 12-4pm
RSVP to fancyanddelicious@gmail.com

Meet your bakers

Who is Fancy & Delicious anyway? We're technically a collective, so a whole crew of dedicated folks are involved in bringing the bread to you each week. At the moment, though, there are three women who bake the bread.



Here we are in front of the clay oven. From left to right: Allison is your humble blog post writer and learned to bake bread with the help of books and her mom. She loves teaching workshops and messing with sourdough. Maura is a founder of F&D and provides an infectious energy, mission, and drive to the whole enterprise. She invented elephant bread and built the oven. Tori returns from a summer hiatus bearing formidable skills, an indispensable spirit, and some wonderful new recipes (tried our long-rise baguette yet?) All three have two assets valuable to a baking collective: great baking instinct and an impressive collection of aprons.

This is Matt:



A founding member, Matt has "graduated" F&D and gained the distinct honor of becoming our first and favorite Baker Emeritus. He leaves us richer in bread lore, especially in the ancient art of ciabatta, and has offered to lend a helping hand from time to time if needed. Thank you, Matt!

Cinnamon Raisin workshop: a sweet success! Next month: pie

Thanks to all of the folks who braved the hurricane inspired gusts of wind to share an afternoon of baking, chatting, and garden-sourced snacks - and made some seriously delicious cinnamon raisin bread!



See more photos from the workshop in our Flickr group - where you can add your own photos! Have any good shots from a workshop? Or taken a picture of your F&D bread made into a sandwich or French toast? We'd love to see them...

Next month's workshop will be all about pie. Conquer the challenge of from-scratch pie crust and bake your own freestanding pie in our backyard clay oven! We'll provide apples and pears, or bring your own desired filling. Email fancyanddelicious@gmail.com to reserve your spot.



Fancy and Delicious Autumn Pie Workshop
September 25 12-4pm
153 Eaton St.
Buffalo NY 14208

In bread we trust,
F&D

How to store bread

This is a question we get asked at workshops occasionally, and it's more important than you might think. Hopefully by writing this post I will save at least one person from coming home to a ruined loaf of what used to be good bread.

How to preserve this crusty bread?

First: never store your bread in the refrigerator! Even if it's wrapped in plastic, the loaf will dry out. The exception to this is supermarket bread, which due to its preservatives will remain soft, spongy, and spoilage-free for mysteriously long periods of time under almost any storage circumstances...

Second: Store crusty breads in paper; store soft sandwich breads in plastic. Paper bags preserve the strong crunch of a good crust, while plastic keeps the moisture from fleeing a softer loaf. Wait until bread is room temperature before wrapping in plastic to avoid condensation, which will make the outside of the bread soggy and encourage the growth of mold. You can also make use of a classic metal bread box (or bread drawer), or a linen bread bag – we sell these from time to time, actually.

Third: While it should be eaten within a week if stored at room temperature, bread can be frozen in plastic for longer periods of time. For maximum convenience, slice bread and then freeze so you can pull out slices when needed. Frozen bread can be thawed on the counter, in a low oven, or toasted as slices straight out of the freezer.

And a bonus tip: stale bread can be revived by either sprinkling with a little water and microwaving for a few seconds, or by storing in a bag with a cut apple. Or just dip it in soup.

In bread we trust,
F&D

A sweet workshop

Greetings, lovers of local baked goods! Our next bread baking workshop is scheduled for Sunday August 28. By popular request, we'll be baking our signature cinnamon raisin bread. Learn the secrets of the cinnamon sugar swirl and bake your own loaf in our clay oven!

Photo by the lovely Anna Miller

Reserve a spot by emailing fancyanddelicious@gmail.com - and by RSVP'ing you are committing to attending the workshop and arriving on time. A donation is suggested to cover materials cost.

Fancy & Delicious Cinnamon Raisin Bread Baking Workshop
Sunday, August 28
153 Eaton St.
Buffalo, NY
12-4 pm

In bread we trust,
F&D

Summer Bread Share

our olive oil and rosemary bread

Let's talk about bread shares.

Our summer bread share starts next Saturday, July 23. For $50, you get a loaf of fresh bread every week for 12 weeks and support your local small-scale baking collective. Choose between three types of bread per week: we usually bring our legendary cinnamon raisin and a white bread like ciabatta, plus a third bread that rotates week to week. Different breads you'll be seeing over the summer will include olive oil and rosemary, multigrain, whole wheat, sourdough rye, and one we like to call "Simon and Garfunkel" because it contains parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. You can pick up your share Saturdays at the Clinton Bailey Farmer's Market or at the MAP farm stand (389 Massachusetts Avenue).

Want to try our bread before you buy a share? Stop by the Clinton Bailey Farmer's Market this week. We sold out early at yesterday's market (thanks to everyone who stopped by!), so we're going to make sure and bring plenty this Saturday.

If you're interested in a share, have questions, or want more details contact us at fancyanddelicious@gmail.com.

In bread we trust,
F&D

We're in the Buffalo News!

Check it out... the News caught up with us at last month's community bake day. Appropriately enough, the article appears on the front page of today's "Taste" section.

Speaking of bake days, this month's workshop will be on Sunday July 24. We'll be baking in the clay oven at 153 Eaton St. from 12-4pm and learning all about the wild and wonderful mystery that is sourdough bread. Any and all are welcome, just give us a shout at fancyanddelicious@gmail.com beforehand so we bring enough ingredients.


And if you like sourdough bread, last week F&D debuted a sourdough rye loaf (pictured above.) It's a classic deli rye, perfect for toast and sandwiches, and you can just detect the tiniest bit of sourdough flavor behind the rye and caraway. And it can't get much more local than a bread made with wild yeast, caught and cultured in Western New York. We'll be featuring it in our bread rotation along with whole wheat multigrain, rosemary and olive oil (a huge hit at the farmer's market) and of course our classic cinnamon raisin.

Feed your summer muscles

If you missed our bread these past few months, come see us this Saturday, June 11th, 8 am to 1 pm, for our first ever farmer's market! We'll be at the  Clinton Bailey Farmer's Market selling three of our favorite breads: cinnamon raisin, ciabatta, and multigrain. It might rain, but we will be there.

Bread-shares are now available for sale. We're starting July 23rd, and we'll distribute from the Massachusetts Avenue Project Farm Stand at 398 Massachusetts Avenue, every Saturday from 11-2. Bread-shares are still $50 for 12 weeks ($4/loaf). Bike delivery is available. Alternatively, if it's more convenient for you, you can pick up at the Clinton Bailey Market. Please note that the bread we sell will no longer be baked in a clay oven (at least for the time being).

If you want some of that clay oven magic, you should come out to one of our monthly workshops. This month we're foregoing the workshop to hold a Community Bake Day on June 26th, from 12 to 5. We'll fire up the oven, and you bring a dish to bake in it! Fancy and Delicious will provide pizza as an appetizer. Please RSVP to Maura at 994-8340 or to fancyanddelicious@gmail.com to guarantee we have room for your dish in the oven.

For share payment, you can make checks payable to Fancy and Delicious Baking Collective and send them to Fancy and Delicious Baking Collective (c/o Maura Pellettieri) at 318 Normal Ave, Buffalo, NY 14213.

If you have any questions about the share, our bread or workshops, or anything else, we'd love to hear from you.

In bread we trust,
F & D

Wishlist

Dear Friends:

We're heading out to Clinton-Bailey market for the first time on Saturday, June 11th. We're going to be producing bread in a much higher volume than ever before. We have a small budget, and a large wish-list. If there is anything listed below that you have in your spring cleaning/give-away pile, let us know. Alternatively, if you want to make a donation to help out with any of this equipment, we would be grateful. There are some fairly specific things on the list; as always, call or email us with any questions. Thanks in advance for your wonderful support.

In bread we trust,
Fancy and Delicious Baking Collective


F & D Wishlist:
baking stone
timer
probe thermometer
oven thermometer
scale
large mixing bowls
small rising bowls
rising cloths
dish cloths
2 scoring knives
pastry scraper
storage containers (varying sizes)
cooling racks
measuring spoons and cups (dry and liquid)

We will also be purchasing a tent for the market. If you know of anyone who will give us a good deal, holler.

Rallying the Troops

Dear Crew/Friends/Supporters:

Firstly, thank you for all your patience and support throughout the cancellation of our winter share. Your emails and comments egged us on through a series of difficult decisions. Here is your well deserved update. Fancy and Delicious Baking Collective is currently taking steps to become a bona fide business. We're going to be joining the Clinton Bailey farmer's market beginning Saturday June 11th, and we will be there, selling bread and a few other treats every weekend through the summer. Towards the end of June, we may be testing out the Kenmore market as well.

Right now we're looking for folks who are able to commit to helping out every Saturday morning for market distribution. We will also need distribution substitutes, and have a few other tasks open for work trades. The bread distribution is going to be a little more demanding this time around (beginning with the fact that it starts on Saturday morning), so we are hoping and planning to pay the distributors something for their time (both money and bread). We are looking for individuals who are outgoing and will be comfortable talking up the project with passerby. If you or someone you know is interested, please be in touch.

Is the share continuing? Yes, although we haven't ironed out details about the pick-up. A lot of our shareholders are west-side residents, so we are hoping to run a west side pick up location, as Clinton Bailey is a little hike away. We will need a couple more distributors to do this. The sooner we find distributors, the sooner the share starts, but realistically, it might not be until the end of June or early July.

We're calling a general meeting to discuss these developments and welcome back any folks who have fallen off the bandwagon, or have never been on it. We'll be getting together this Friday, May 27 at 6:00 pm. Meet at Maura's house at 318 Normal, and weather permitting, we'll move to the garden. If you're interested in any of the above, or have questions, but can't make the meeting, just shoot us an email or call Maura at 994-8340.

We will still be holding events at the clay oven throughout the summer. In fact, it has a beautiful new finish (thanks to Megan and Marty, who hosted a Natural Builder's workshop at the oven recently). Thanks to all who came out for our Mother's Day baking workshop--it was a huge success. In June, we won't be hosting a workshop, but we hope you'll join us for our first ever Community Bake Day, May 26, 12-5 at 153 Eaton St. We fire up the oven; you bring a dish to bake and share. RSVP's are required for this event. Call Megan at  912-5529. Fancy and Delicious will be providing pizza as an appetizer.

We're looking forward to seeing and hearing from all of you soon.

In bread we trust,
Fancy and Delicious Baking Collective

Mother's Day bake!

Last month, we had a fine and fancy workshop: Matt led us through baguette-making.  We were joined by some new friends, thanks to the Buffalo Barn Raisers calendar. Allison took some great photos. You can see them on her blog.

Meanwhile, this month Fancy and Delicious cordially invites you to our special Mother's Day bread workshop. In honor of spring, and mothers, we will be firing up the clay oven for the first time this year! Huzzah! Bake bread with your mother, or your daughter, or just come celebrate good food and friends with us. 

Sunday, May 8, 3 pm - 6:30 pm

at the old F and D headquarters:
153 Eaton St. Buffalo, NY 14213

The workshop is free, but if you are able, please bring a donation to help us cover the cost of ingredients. You don't need to bring anything else--we'll provide you with equipment and ingredients. We love RSVP's: email us at fancyanddelicious@gmail.com or call Tori at (585) 766-3195. If you don't RSVP, you should still stop by. 

 

Dispelling the glorious mystery of French bread

It's time for the monthly workshop! Have you ever wondered how French bread is made? What makes the perfect baton of crust, the skein of dough and holes that is so perfect for picnics and dipping?

So far we have mostly focused on heartier breads in our workshops, but tomorrow, April 23rd, at the Nickel City Coop House (208 North Street), Matt will be teaching a workshop on French bread. We'll be meeting up at noon for the lesson, and hanging out until around 3:30 or 4 (til the bread is done).

RSVP's are appreciated, but not necessary. Please bring a small donation, if you are able, to help us cover the cost of ingredients. Home-made pizza will be served for lunch, as always.

If you have any questions, please contact Maura at (716) 994-9340, or email fancyanddelicious@gmail.com.

Proud barley, Happy wheat

A big, big thank you to all who came out to make the Barley and Wheat Party such a huge success!

We had a great time, and hope you did too. The funds raised at the party will enable us to continue our good work this spring and summer.

If you are wondering when the shares will start again, please be patient and stay posted. We are currently kitchen-shopping, and we will let you know as soon as we find a home. In the meantime, re-connect with us through our monthly workshops. The next one is this tomorrow, March 26 from noon to 4 at 208 North Street. Tori will be leading the workshop. All skill levels are welcome.

Email us at fancyanddelicious@gmail.com to reserve a spot, call Maura at 994-8340, or feel free to just walk on in.

Til soon,
F & D.

For the love of Wheat and Barley!

Fancy and Delicious enthusiastically invites you to celebrate local food in Buffalo!

On Friday, March 18th, at 208 North Street, (7-11 pm), we'll be hosting a Wheat and Barley party.

The funds from this party will go towards our continued food empowerment work in Buffalo. Our artisan breads (made from organic flour grown and milled in Ithaca, NY) will be available for tasting, and the Nickel City Brewery will be providing beer.

Entertainment for the evening will include local songstress Lara Buckley, the Great Lakes Marauders,
and Pyromancy Fire Theatre.

$5 suggested donation. Come schmooze with the bakers and crew of F & D to learn more about what we do and why, and how much fun it is. Call Maura at 994-8340 with questions, or email
fancyanddelicious@gmail.com.

Hope to see you there!

Til soon,
Fancy and Delicious Baking Co. (Collective)

Winter update

Dear Friends and Shareholders:

After much deliberation, the baking and working crew of Fancy and Delicious has decided to postpone the winter share. We have not come to this decision lightly. We feel that in order to sustain long term success, we need to take pause to troubleshoot, and strengthen our base as a collective. We are now gearing towards a share that will begin in a couple of months, when the winter starts cracking. We will be using this time to further renovate the community space at Eaton Street, refine and develop new recipes, and work towards vendorship at Farmer's Markets in the spring, among other tasks.  Although we are not going to be baking your weekly bread for another couple of months yet, there is still a lot going on behind the scenes, and it is never too late to get involved. If you're interested in helping out on any level (no experience necessary), email us at fancyanddelicious@gmail.com, or call Maura (994-8340), Matt (307-7726), or Tori (585-766-3195).

We also encourage you to join us at our monthly bread baking workshops. The next one is on Saturday, February 19th, from noon to 4, at the Nickel City Coop (208 North Street). At a typical workshop, we discuss a specific type of bread, and then practice the techniques that go into making that bread. While our loaves are rising and baking, we have a chance to drink tea or coffee, and enjoy one another's good company. All skill levels are welcome. Ingredients and equipment are provided. The workshops are donation based.

On March 18th, we will be hosting a bread tasting fundraiser extravaganza at the Nickel City Coop. The evening will be a casual, but elegant affair that will include a pyromancy show, live music, home brewed beer, and of course, bread. Both new and classic recipes will be present--cinnamon-raisin, anybody? 

Stay posted for details about this event, and other upcoming events. Contact us, as always, with questions and suggestions. If you have already paid for your winter share, you will be given the option of a full refund. Alternatively, we can hold onto your money to reserve your spot in the spring, when we resume the share.

In solidarity,

The Fancy and Delicious Baking Company Collective.

Bread Baking Workshop Cancelled 1/16

Hey Fancy Folks, 

We here at F&D are very sad to announce the cancellation of our Bread Baking Workshop on January 16th due to unforseeable circumstances.  We apologize for the late notice and hope to reschedule for later in the season. Please stay tuned to our blog and facebook page for upcoming news and events!

Stay warm and well-fed Buffalo,

F&D