Fruit and Nut Rye

Posted on October 19, 2011 by cityhippyfarmgirl

There is something about truly wholesome food that feeds the soul. A simple seasonal dish, fruit and vegetables picked at their best. Honest food that nourishes, heals and restores.

It could be something as simple as revitalising an appetite or tantalising those taste buds. Inspiring to cook better. I was watching a cooking programme the other day and got so excited about the simple ingredients the chef was using. The presentation was beautiful, the colours, the textures and also the fact that it took just a few minutes to prepare.

Food is exciting. It can be wonderfully vibrant. It brings people together. The textures, the smells, the colours all mixed together can do so much. As I quite often write, it doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to take half a day to prepare.

Packets don’t have the same effect. Jars are unlikely to as well. Fruit and vegetables with their genetic diversity dumbed down for convenience and then stored for great lengths of time do not have the same qualities and effects of their seasonal local heirloom variety counterparts.

I love sweet things, and don’t have any issue with sweet recipes in moderation. However I do think that in our society sugar is being used as a substitute for taste. Salt is right along side it. A product lacking in flavour, health, anything nourishing what so ever will be added to. What with? Sugar and or salt. It deadens the taste buds, you want more, your satisfaction levels get confused and more gets consumed. Using ingredients that are easily identifiable, and letting their real flavours shine through brings dishes to the table that make a person smile.

Listen closely to a small child with their favourite simple piece of fruit, and more often than not, slow enjoyable eating sounds will be heard. A sun kissed strawberry brings nothing but happy slurps and red stained fingers and mouth. Taste buds heightened and ignited. A lesser strawberry would still be consumed, but leaving no satisfaction, taste buds lying dormant and on finishing it, you’ve already forgotten about it and moved on.

Bread is no different. For this bread I wanted something that nourished every part of me. A couple of slices for breakfast that would leave my taste buds awakened and my body energized.

Fruit and Nut Rye

300g starter

200g strong bakers flour

100g rye flour

50g linseed

100g sultanas

50g chopped pecans

25g unprocessed wheat bran

1 tsp dark malt flour

275mls (approx) water

1 1/2 tsp salt

handful of raw almonds

Mix all ingredients together except the salt. Resting period for about 40 minutes. Add the salt and mix again. Two long proves with a quick knead in between. Shape or pop in an oiled loaf tin, making sure you throw in a handful of whole raw almonds at the bottom of the tin and bake at 240C with plenty of steam. I baked this one for about 40 minutes. Then gently flipped the loaf out of the tin and into the oven again for another 5 or so minutes, bottom side up, to toast the almonds a little more. Cool on a rack, then wrap and leave over night before cutting into.

This post submitted to the wonderful yeastspotting

33 thoughts on “Fruit and Nut Rye”

ceciliag on October 19, 2011 at 11:48 am said:

That is so true. I never thought about that before.. children do eat slowly, and smack their lips and say good or yuk. they really taste it and i so agree about sugar and salt good whole clean food is the best way this loaf has an amazing colour and texture,, simple too!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 7:00 am said:
  
  Thanks Cecilia. It is still a simple loaf to make even with the different ingredients going on. How is your sourdough going?
  
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Celia on October 19, 2011 at 12:01 pm said:

Beautiful looking loaf, Brydie, it’s almost Christmassy!

The conspiracy theorist in me has always believed that the massive amounts of salt and sugar in processed foods is part of a ploy to mess with our appetites and consequently make us eat more!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 7:02 am said:
  
  Celia I’m always up for a good conspiracy theory and I could easily find something like that true. (Along with disguising just really bad food!)
  
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Keri on October 19, 2011 at 12:51 pm said:

Brydie I love your passion for good food and natural ingredients – it inspires me!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 7:03 am said:
  
  Thanks Keri 🙂
  
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lindawoodrowl on October 19, 2011 at 2:59 pm said:

You had me at the picture. I love that kind of bread. Dense and textured and real. Lovely recipe.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 7:04 am said:
  
  Thank you Linda. I know you like a good grainy wholesome bread too- nothing better than starting the day like that.
  
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alison@thisbloominglife on October 19, 2011 at 4:58 pm said:

It amazes me when I look in people’s trolleys at the supermarket just how disconnected from our food source we are. I’m sitting here shelling broad beans for dinner and catching up on my reading – no frozen broad beans here!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 7:06 am said:
  
  It amazes me too Alison. I quite often either shake my head or have a quiet chuckle to myself. They are missing out terribly though.
  Enjoy those broad beans.
  
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Joanna on October 19, 2011 at 5:05 pm said:

That looks like seriously hippy fare 🙂 Have you ever tried putting freshly sprouted grain into your bread, that is also a lovely ingredient to work with. Alfalfa, mung, broccoli etc. I do like the almonds on the bottom of the loaf – in fact I love the whole Gestalt of your bread !!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 7:08 am said:
  
  I still haven’t played with the sprouted grains yet. I know Dan the Man makes reference to them quite a bit, but I”ve been a little nervous trying it out. Definitely on my list of things to conquer though!
  
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brenda on October 19, 2011 at 6:28 pm said:

I think I want your bread photos (art) hung on my kitchen walls for inspiration.

brenda from arkansas

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 7:08 am said:
  
  Thanks Brenda, that’s really kind.
  
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Kari @ bite-sized thoughts on October 19, 2011 at 6:53 pm said:

I’d like to print this post and have it distributed to schools and families everywhere 🙂 It sums up so much of what I believe and love about food, and it is sad that so much of that basic enjoyment, and the fun and pleasure associated with ‘real’ food, is forgotten by some.

Clearly, not by you or your family – and this bread is yet more proof of that!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 12:00 pm said:
  
  Thanks Kari. The wonderful side of blogging is finding those like minded people that have similar values to food and life style chooses. Certainly makes me feel less of a social pariah 🙂
  
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Christine on October 19, 2011 at 7:39 pm said:

I love your passion. It’s infectious! 🙂

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 12:01 pm said:
  
  🙂 big smile to you Christine.
  
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Seana Smith on October 19, 2011 at 8:56 pm said:

Ah, good day for me to read this… I made some fresh pesto from scratch for the first time in many years. Had first learned when living in Genova as an 18 year old au pair, Liguria being the home of pesto, I was right into it with my mortar and pestle.

Our local fruit and veggie ‘barn’ is much better than the supermarket. And I am totally with you on the sugar and salt situation. We’re on an anti-cereal, smoothies for breakfast kick here.

Will be reading your blog carefully when I commence my bread making career!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 12:04 pm said:
  
  Oh are you thinking of starting up with the bread Seana? That’s great!
  I would love to hear more of your au pair days in Italy. What a great place to do it.
  
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Mariana on October 19, 2011 at 11:27 pm said:

What a thought-provoking post. I’m very anti to packets and jars. Unless it’s Vegemite or peanut butter. And don’t even get me started on frozen dinners. No way! I must admit I do use salt, rather generously at times, but I guess the fact that we rarely eat out and hardly ever eat packaged stuff makes my usage of salt a little more forgiving. Your bread looks glorious. Could I have my piece with some butter please?

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 12:07 pm said:
  
  Hi Mariana. No we definitely use salt too. Not a huge amount, but it’s certainly there.
  With all your wonderful preserves you make I can’t imagine ever wanting to eat anywhere but your place.
  
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Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide on October 20, 2011 at 12:03 am said:

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. A little sugar goes a long way for me. I am amazed at what people find palatable. Processed food, blech. This looks wonderful as always. You turn out some great breads.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 12:09 pm said:
  
  Thanks Greg. I love all the food you two cook. I’m pretty darn sure you have heavily influenced a lot of peoples dinner plates.
  
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heidi on October 20, 2011 at 12:15 am said:

Your bread is as usual- filled to the top with goodness.
I enjoyed your view on real foods and children. You make a great spokewoman for slow food cooking.
Thanks for the recipe and inspiration!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 12:11 pm said:
  
  Thank you Heidi. It’s pretty important to me…actually very important to me!
  
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teawithhazel on October 20, 2011 at 5:43 am said:

i heartily agree with you on all counts..i look at all the over processed food in the aisles of supermarkets and wonder about the whole time saving convenience food industry..

i love your loaf of bread which represents the antithesis of that other world..

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 12:12 pm said:
  
  Jane, maybe that would have been a better title?
  Antithesis Bread?
  
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JohannaGGG on October 20, 2011 at 11:54 am said:

I love this sort of bread or toast for breakfast with a slice of good sharp cheese – perfect start for the day! I use more salt these days than I used to – probably started to follow recipes more closely – and I think I have got more of a taste for it so I am trying to use it less again where I can! Sometimes I look at sylvia with her plain unseasoned kiddie dinner and think she has it right!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on October 20, 2011 at 12:13 pm said:
  
  My kids have a taste for black pepper. I’m not sure how it happened, and it seems a little odd!
  
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Amanda on October 20, 2011 at 2:35 pm said:

Brydie, this looks like it would make the perfect start to any day – dense and full of nutrition, it would keep me going for a while at least!

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m.e (cathie) on October 20, 2011 at 7:00 pm said:

so, so true about kids!! they also have the full factor, if they are full they stop which unfortunately we lose along the way.

despite my baking my kids never get sweets or baked cakes for school or kinder. the other day was “nude food day” at school and my preppy was telling me that so many people have chips & sweets in their lunchboxes..everyday!

not good

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Choclette on October 22, 2011 at 5:37 am said:

That almond bottom is something else!

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