Rye Bread and Emily Dickinson

This fall I threw my hat into the ring and entered the baking contest at the Dixie Classic Fair of North Carolina. I entered two categories: "Oatmeal cookies, unfilled" and "Loafbread, Other" an intriguingly vague category. Basically this means anything other than white bread or cornbread, both of which have their own categories (naturally). I made a dark rye, more properly termed a black bread or "Russian" rye.

Participating in this subculture of American culinary competition felt anthropologic. Baffled and amused by the entry process, I covered cardboard with foil for each item, and attached my entry tags (which came in the mail after I signed up online) just so. What is the "right-hand front corner" of a rectangle with no distinguishing features? Why does using plastic wrap result in disqualification? As I carried my entries to the fairgrounds, it was fascinating to see the many women and a few men coming from various parts of this corner of NC bringing in their best baking. I am a lightweight, as it turns out. There were returning bakers, some of whom brought more than a dozen items (and in one case, more than twenty) for competition. I was also interested to see just what the all those items listed on the entry forms actually were. There are fourteen cookie categories alone, including one for "Pecan Fingers"; there are even more cake categories, going to the unneccesarily specific, like "Prune cake, glazed" and "Pineapple Upside-Down Cake" and the simply unneccesary "Fried Fruit Pies." Tube cakes are their own category, with thirteen subdivisions, including both sour cream and cream cheese, chocolate "un-iced" (why?) the mysterious "Five-Flavor" and "other". Why so many categories? Maybe it is the "everyone is a winner" philosophy. It didn't all get spread around, though. Seasoned competitors took home multiple prizes, with one homemaker taking home sixteen ribbons!

My cookies did not place, to my disappointment, but the rye bread took third place in its category. A little white ribbon was given to me, along with a check for six dollars from the city of Winston-Salem. Not bragging rights, but no disgrace, either. I'm gearing up for next year, much to the amusement of some of my friends. I must note here that Emily Dickinson was a passionate home baker and that she, too, participated in a baking competition, entering her "Indian and rye" at the Amherst Cattle Show of 1856. Her bread took second place. It is noted that her sister was one of the judges.

For the prize-winning bread (ha) I leaned on, once again, Beth Hensperger's Bread, changing up the recipe only slightly. I have found that it needs some extra moisture in the dry weather of fall and winter, when I typically make this. I also substitute vegetable oil for butter. I have slightly switched the order of operations as well, combining the dry ingredients before the rest, as I prefer to do with most recipes.

This bread makes a fabulous base for sandwiches; I like it with tuna salad, or turkey with mustard. It is exceptional when slathered with cream cheese and consumed with ale and is a provocative base for a berry preserve as well. My husband likes it as a bedtime snack, with butter and a glass of bourbon. You call it.

Black Russian Bread

2T yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups water

1/4 cups molasses (I use a dark or blackstrap molasses)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 ounce dark, unsweetened chocolate (good quality-I like Scharffen Berger, which contains no soy lecithin)

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 cups medium rye flour

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup bran

2 T caraway seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 T salt

1 T espresso or instant coffee powder

Steps

1. Combine whole wheat, rye and unbleached flour in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Combine yeast and the warm water with a pinch of sugar; stir to dissolve. Let sit until foamy (5-10 mins).

3. Heat 2 cups water with chocolate, molasses, vinegar and oil until chocolate is melted. Set aside.

4. In a very large mixing bowl combine the bran, seeds, coffee powder, and 2 cups of flour mixture. Using a mixer at low speed, add the yeast and chocolate mixtures. Mix until smooth and then beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.

5. At low speed, continue adding the flour mixture about 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough begins to clear the sides of the bowl. It will still be sticky, but take it out and begin kneading in the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface. It will be "springy yet dense" according to Hensperger, though I often knead a bit past this point. Don't worry if you still have some leftover flour; you needn't use every bit. Form into a ball and place in greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise until dough has doubled. This will be about 2 hours, maybe a bit less.

6. When dough has doubled, remove from bowl and gently deflate. On a lightly floured surface, divide in half and form into 2 rounds. Place seam side down on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal and caraway seeds. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size and puffy. This will take 40-60 minutes. Preheat the oven while you are waiting. Be sure to catch the dough at its most puffy; wait too long and it will begin to deflate! Slash the top a couple of times with a very sharp knife-an X is nice. This is both decorative and functional-it keeps the dough rising evenly in the oven.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, until nicely browned. Cool completely before cutting into the loaves. Share with people you love.