Volume 19 – Issue 1 march 2011 IN THIS ISSUE Team USA Wins at Sigep Bread Cup 2 Notes from the Chair By DARA REIMERS Team Coach and Owner of The Bread Shack, Auburn, ME 4 Guild News Bread Bakers Guild Team USA has returned victorious from the 5th International Sigep Bread Cup A Tribute to Craig Ponsford 2011 (http://en.sigep.it/) held in Rimini, Italy, on January 22-26, 2011! In addition to first place 12 Regional Events overall, Team USA won the Traditional Bread Category with the Walnut Levain developed by Breadville USA 2011 Michael Rhoads. The Sigep competition team, drawn from the nine-member Team USA, consisted 13 Guild News of Harry Peemoeller, David DeCesare, John Tredgold, and Michael Rhoads. Each team member was Website Update responsible for one of four categories: Harry, as Captain, was a member of the jury and created the 14 World’s Fair of Bread 2010 Artistic Piece; David created the Pilgrim Bread for Cake or Baked Dessert; JT created Loli Bread for German Baking the Healthy Bread; and Michael created the prize-winning Traditional Bread. 16 Breadville USA The Wonders of Brioche PREPARATION AND PRACTICE The road to Rimini began weeks before the Our main concerns were the final presentation 19 Regional Events competition, in Montpelier, Vermont. Each of the products to the jury, the product San Rafael Gathering team member brought his formulas and pro- for the public vote, and what constituted 20 Technical Article cesses to the team practice at New England the Cake category. It was determined that Baking 101: Technology Culinary Institute (NECI) in early January. each product would have to be plated for of Ingredients While the snow fell, we worked over the rules judging, a new concept for the team and quite of the competition and had a lengthy conver- different from the Louis Lesaffre Cup and the 23 Team Formula sation via Skype with Brett Noy, a Guild mem- Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, where Pacific Breeze ber, who had competed at the Sigep Bread consistency, volume, and weight are major 24 Technical Article Cup with Team Australia in previous years. criteria. With 50% of the score coming from West Coast Whole Grains the public tasting, Brett emphasized putting careful consideration into pleasing the crowd, and he made some suggestions. The Bread Bakers Guild of America is the leading Continued on page 6 American educational resource for artisan bread bakers. Our mission: to shape the knowledge and skills of the artisan baking community DAVID DeCESARE, through education. Bread JOHN TREDGOLD, Lines, the newsletter of MICHAEL RHOADS, The Bread Bakers Guild of AND HARRY America, is published four PEEMOELLER times per year. PHOTO: DARA REIMERS NotES FROM THE CHAIR E T F to LVEIG LVEIG O F S O have been asked many times over the During Craig Ponsford’s and Abe Faber’s ESY I T years why I’m a baker. This question is tenures as Chair and Vice Chair of UR O one of my favorites (and I’m not being the Board, The Guild has focused on : C sarcastic). It tells me that what I do increasing the quality of our services. hoto captures the imagination enough to Bread Lines has become a magazine, we P elicit questions, rather than causing eye- have made a commitment to offer 10- glazing boredom. The other reason I love 14 classes per year all over the country, it is because I get to give my answer: I’m a and we are working to ensure that baker because I love bakers. Camp Bread continues in some kind of sustainable form. My goal is to maintain Yes, of course, I love everything about the this trajectory of detailed commitment work. But if bakers were a bunch of jerks, increase the fun factor for us on the Board to quality, and hopefully to involve many there’s no way I would choose to spend and for some willing-and-able members, more members in this process. my working (and quite a few leisure) I believe we’ll be able to do something hours with them. And yes, of course, there You’ve heard it said that this is a pretty interesting in the coming years. are jerky bakers. And there are perfectly volunteer-run organization, and the Board So, that’s the goal and the point of this lovely bakers who have jerky moments. of Directors is a working Board. I can’t whole exercise – to learn a thing or But fundamentally, the group of people I stress how wonderful and necessary this is two, meet some fellow bakers, and work have been privileged to associate with is – that community I spoke of earlier doesn’t together to make sure The Guild continues generous and supportive, and I’m always just come from paying dues; it comes from to be a healthy community. On behalf of thrilled to be in your company. people getting together and working to the Board of Directors, I can say that we reach a common goal of better baking As I step with a bit of trepidation into are honored to be a part of this all, and everywhere. Craig’s position as Chair of the Board we’re all looking forward to doing great of Directors, I have been thinking about The Board of Directors has decided that and fun things together. what The Guild is all about, and what this is the year we make a concentrated Solveig Tofte has been baking since 1999. the current Board of Directors can do to effort to involve more members in our She worked as the head baker at Turtle continue to foster its identity and growth. committees – it’s a goal every Board Bread in Minneapolis, MN, from 2000- Our mission is all about education, and has had every year, but the band-width 2010 and was the team captain of Bread the very delightful outcome of our classes and infrastructure were previously not Bakers Guild Team USA 2008, which and gatherings is that we have developed in place to make this possible. So now, competed at the Coupe du Monde de la a strong community of bakers. This may thanks to the fact that Craig and Abe Boulangerie in Paris. Solveig and her seem completely obvious, but I firmly have established a strong and functioning husband and 6 year old daughter have believe that this is our greatest asset and framework, we are able to explore this just opened a bakery café, Sun Street that it bears much consideration. idea more thoroughly. Breads, also in Minneapolis. Her term as Thanks to our generous donors, our active I believe that you have received an Chair of the Guild’s Board of Directors members, and our extended network of e-mail from The Guild office asking for began on January 1, 2011. friends, we are able to accomplish so any specific skills you might wish to many exciting things. The work with Bread offer. Please respond! Or file it away and Bakers Guild Team USA broadens our respond when you have more time. And base of knowledge and creates strong ties this should absolutely not be a burden or to the international baking community, an obligation – everyone gives so much the classes we teach keep us all energized already, and we all have hectic lives. But and allow for great fellowship, and I know that, for me, getting involved with SOLVEIG TOFTE Board Chair and the diverse opportunities pursued the Guild has expanded my world and Owner of Sun Street Breads by individual members makes this has kept me excited about what I do. And Minneapolis, MN community what it is – vibrant, interesting, in our talks with Guild members around and engaged. the country, we hear repeatedly “I’m really good at that. I’d love to help!” So, to { 2 } THE BREAD BAKERS GUILD OF AMERICA GUILD News THANKS TO OUR DONORS The Bread Bakers Guild of America gratefully recognizes its 2010-2012 fundraising partners for their generosity. Platinum Partner ($120,000) Hearth Society ($1,980) Guild Friends (Up to $389) General Mills, Inc. AIB International Tim Andrews Bread Alone Anonymous Neale and Marian Creamer Lorna Baker-Monroe Gold Partner ($60,000) Euro Pane Bakery Frank Basich King Arthur Flour Co. Labriola Baking Company George Blanford San Francisco Baking Institute Lallemand Inc. / American Yeast Division Carol Brownson Le Petit Outre Breads Marsha De Angelis New French Bakery Dewey Doughberman Silver Partner ($36,000) Niedlov's Breadworks Eden Valley Bakers California Raisin Marketing Board Udi's Bread Jessie Foster Lesaffre Yeast Corporation Michael Gesik Couche Club ($990-$1,979) Gail Goetsch Bakehouse Bread Rhoda Gordon Bronze Partner ($18,000) David Bergman James W. Hatfield III Baking Buyer Frank Carollo Hot Bagel Company Kemper Bakery Systems of the Certified Foods Inc. Melina Kelson-Podolsky WP Bakery Group Dawn Food Products Craig Ponsford Modern Baking Erika Record LLC Patricia Kennedy Pastry & Baking North America Jason and Linda Gollan John Kino Progressive Baker/Cargill Griffin’s Bakery Galway Ireland Paul Krebs Orlando Baking Company John and Laura Kvasnosky Team Alliance ($6,000) Carol Robson Larry Lobe BEMA Truckee Sourdough Company Joan McConville Seven Stars Bakery Paige Meier Baker’s Bunch ($390-$989) Benjamin Miller Artisan Circle ($3,600) Alessio Ambruso Richard Miscovich The Acme Bread Company Anonymous Murray Hollow Bakers Albemarle Baking Company Buono’s Bakery Barbara Oberlin Allied Bakery Equipment Company Inc. Ann F. Burgunder Christian Oertel Amy’s Bread Abram Faber & Christy Timon Barbara A. Oletzke Breadsmith Harvey Hanoian Maria A. Paniagua Chabaso Bakery Dave Krishock Harry Peemoeller Clear Flour Bread Red Hen Baking Company Lewis Perlmutter ConAgra Mills Edward Short Rebecca and Dmitri Robbins Charles and Joyce Esfeld SoNo Baking Company Sandwich Isle Bread Company Grand Central Baking Company Standard Baking Company Joan Schiller Sasa-Demarle Inc.