Let's talk about our local chefs, local restaurants, recipes, and breads (or favorite sandwiches/subs) for a moment. 

Sometime last spring, I made the decision that I wanted to try new places and new things. It can be hard for this introvert to do because I have the same restaurants I love to frequent, have been trying to save up for a trip and pay off other debt, and sometimes spending the $$ can be hard for me, because our local venues might cost a tad bit more than the chains and commerical ones. 

One thing I have been encouraging myself to do more of is to check out the classes our local chefs provide. There's al ot of them: from raviloi to breads to cake decorating! 

Yet, with our current economical state, everyone is struggling, right? We are cutting back on whatever we can because of rising food & gas costs; which may mean eating out less. That revenue, the one that supports our local businesses, is down.

It is super easy for me to stop at a fast-food chain or quick sub place rather than one of our local restaurants. It's often much faster to put food out, prices might be slightly lower, but the quality may not always be there.

Recently, one of our locals, The Kitchen Sink, made an announcement that they needed help to avoid closure. They specifically asked us to patronize them, pushed their catering menu (which honestly, I didn't even know they did beforehand), and word got out to hopefully prevent closure. 

A couple weeks ago, I made the decision to grab a catering order from them, knowing it would be more expensive than one of the chains (this was specific- wings night). Honestly, I didn't go wrong. We had more than enough food, they gave us extra sauces, and the tastes were on point.

The same week, the chef put out a poll regarding cooking/baking classes; trying to get different people in her doors. Y'all, I am always wanting to learn more, so I thought a bread class sounded fun. I signed up, paid my invoice, and totally thought the class was next week. September is throwing me off!

Anyone, I get a reminder that class was last night. I didn't really wanna go out again. It's been one of those weeks, but I paid for it, so I pushed myself to go. 

It was definitely fun! Now, we weren't making the dough proper by hand, because there's only so much one can do in a 2 hr class when dough requires proofing, but I did learn a lot.

In case you ever want to make your own Kummelweck for your own beef on weck; here's the recipe from Chef Alicia at The Kitchen Sink for 6 Kummelweck Rolls. These can also be Kaiser rolls just by switching out the seasoning too. 

• Combine yeast & sugar in a mixer (stand is preferable, but you could use a handheld if needed). 
• 1 package of dry active yeast (2.5 teaspoons)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar 
• Add 3.2 oz of 90-95 degree water to bowl. Whisk. Wait 10 minutes. Bubbles should show you the yeast is activated. (Water that is too hot will kill the yeast, so grab a thermometer). 
• Add 6.4 oz of 90-95 degree water, 1.6 oz olive oil, and around 6 cups of double zero bread flour in the mixer. Mix for at least ten minutes, checking sides. If it is too sticky, add more flour (a little bit at a time. Sometimes in southern humidity, an extra half cup- to cup is needed). 

• After 10 minutes and dough is pulled away from the bowl's sides, put it in an oiled bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and proof in a 105 degree space for an hour. 
• Pull dough, portion it into 5 oz each (a scale is handy for this)
• Roll out to desired shapes, not handling too roughly or too much.
• Spray tops of rolls with cooking spray, cover loosely.
• Proof again in 105 degrees for about 30 mins.
• Brush tops with egg wash (using the whole egg is fine) & season
• For traditional kummelweck rolls, the seasonings include sea salt & caraway.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 15 mins until golden brown.

• Chef Alicia, obviously, in the kitchen uses a lot of yeast. Once she opens it, it goes in the fridge. If you are using the small packets from the grocery store, its fine to keep them in the pantry if you use the entire packet. 
• Bread ingredients can be made in advance, but must be refridgerated if you opened your yeast.
• Paying attention during the mixing phase is important. If the yeast doesn't activate, then the braed won't turn out right. If the bread isn't pulling away from the bowl, it won't turn out right. 
• Proofing matters. 
• This type of dough does not require kneeding. Once it comes out of the mixer, place it into an oiled pan, punch it up and down, then flip it over, and punch it again. That's it!
• When shaping it, use your finger tips and shape it about 4 times in the cup of your hand. Overdoing it means overdeveloping the proteins and glutens, which results in icky bread.
• Dough can be frozen, but when you thaw out, that it out in the fridge first. Then be sure it comes to proper room temp before trying to activate the yeast. 

We think it takes a long time to make things at home, but honestly, it really doesn't. The longest part is the proofing time; but even think about that. It's in between picking kids up from practice, in between doing the dishes/laundry/foors, in between bathtime. It's really not that bad. Yet, if time really is an issue, most restaurants and chefs would be glad to sell bulk orders, if called in advance.