Most people are either a cook or a baker, seldom both. I so do not care for baking that I am grateful for living where I do, as in France we are spoiled for our choice of bakers and patissiers. I have yet to find a French housewife who bakes her own bread and even dinner party desserts are very unashamedly bought in, inspite of often totally absurd prices. Today at a not even fancy village bakery I saw an medium sized apricot tart that even I would whip up in five minutes for the royal sum of € 25 ($ 31/£ 20) - highway robbery!
So what got me baking? Again - ridiculus pricing. What the Italians call Foccacia and in Provence is known as Fougasse is easily thrown together with ingredients that cost "trois fois rien" - three times nothing as we say in Provence: wholemeal flour, semolina, some salt, olive oil and warm water plus a few grams of yeast , some Herbes de Provence and about 4 or five chopped up sundried tomatoes. Lovingly kneaded, then left to prove for an hour et voilà! Fougasse! Next time to be varied with lardons (bacon bits) and caramelized onions.
great job! this looks very good. i bake all my own bread because i like to, it's cheap and i know what is going into it! today i am making pumpkin yeast rolls with honey butter.
ReplyDeleteHoney butter sounds divine!
DeleteUnbelievable, paying that much for a focaccia. I thought the $6 dollars we pay here is too much also. Glad you whipped up your own.
ReplyDeleteThe price was for the apricot tart, a big fougasse like the one I baked would be around 6 to 8 Euros, which, considering what goes into it is still a steep price.
DeleteI love hearing about what the French do. I learned to bake my own bread when I became soy-sensitive. I can't believe anyone would pay so very much bread or a tart, but they must have a good reason.
ReplyDeleteMadonna
MakeMineLemon
I always wonder who buys those tarts...
DeleteCongratulations on your beautiful fougasse. I am not a baker so I am envious of those who can turn out breads and pastries. I hope we can catch up during the next couple of weeks. A bientot, j'espere.
ReplyDeleteThis Fougasse looks stunning, so are the shop prices for it :)
ReplyDeleteWould love to get the recipe.
You are so right. It is easy to make fougasse or focaccia. I have found that American breads have become especially expensive also. I have been experimenting with an easy rosemary olive oil round. Good job.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful looking fougasse - this is a very versatile and uncomplicated bread to make and I enjoy making it as well - I just do not get around to making it often enough!
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