Sourdough bread. Learning about delayed gratification and self-control

" Cooking is time: like writing, it demands that impalpable seasoning. It takes time, but then time is something we can control. It is an investment, a brilliant use to feed and nurture ourselves and those who care about ".- Mireille Guiliano

Last night, still with the baby's jet lag, I was watching the video of the Standford University marshmallow experiment in the late 1960s by the psychologist Walter Mischel on delayed gratification ( here is the video, by the way: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX_oy9614HQ‎ ). As you probably know, a child was offered a choice between one marshmallow provided immediately or two marshmallows if she or he waited until the experimenter returned after 15 minutes. 

Many of the children ate the marshmallow. In the follow-up studies, the researchers found that the children who waited the 15 minutes had - apparently - better life outcomes.

I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if the experiment was done with adults - I couldn't find evidence that it had been. How many grown-ups would eat the single marshmallow? We might be surprised by the number. Would I eat the marshmallow? The answer is I would be VERY tempted and I would have to distract my mind with something else to stop looking at the sweet treat. 

Instant gratification and self- control are both tricky in real life,  indeed, more challenging for some people than for others. 

I must confess I want an instant gratification with many things in life, and not only material things. I want things now and to know them at this precise moment. I don't like waiting.

For example, if you give me a present days before my birthday I will open it for sure. 

SInce I met Nick almost 14 years ago, and now that I have my own family, I share some of the Australian and Spanish traditions. Nick and I leave Christmas presents under the tree a few weeks before the 25th of December which I never did before when I was growing up as a child. For me, all the gifts were given on Christmas Eve but for Nick, some gifts were from the family, not only from Papa Noel, and placed under the tree for many days before the 25th.

Our kids seemed fine seeing the presents in the lead up to Christmas Day although they occasionally asked - or I would say beg - if they could open them, " Just a tiny little corner of the wrapping paper to make sure there is something inside, pleassssse ". It is harder for me than for Nick to say NO.

Another example is when I was pregnant three times, I was so anxious for 9 months to meet him or her. But also as I wanted - but did not - to ask in private to the ob-gy doctor the sex of the baby. I didn't find out for the first two pregnancies but I did for the third one, although I kept it in secret as Nick preferred not to know.

And the last example is when Nick and I apply for a posting from the list of postings that the Australian government releases twice a year. Sometimes you are told whether you got a posting or not very quickly, in a month or so, but in general, we have to wait and wait for months…hummm, I don't like that.

However, even it is true that this negative side of my personality needs to be improved with experience in life, when I am in front of food I must say I am in control. Eating balanced meals in moderation is my objective when I plan weekly menus which include homemade dishes that are not expensive, using fresh ingredients. 

I try to teach my family not only to eat to nurture ourselves but also for the pleasure of eating all together around the kitchen table. There is not hurry in eating and the table is cleaned up by all once the last person finishes the dish, not before (which I found rude when people do it either at home or in a restaurant). The conversation flows at the same rythym as the sound of spoons, forks and knives touching gently the plates.

It is important to teach children to eat without anxiety in order to be able to truly appreciate food (and also the work of the cook!) rather than just swallowing it down.

The program of Stephanie Alexander where I worked before I came to Manila teaches also this important aspect of life: the way an adult eats creates an example for the next generation. Appreciation of food is the key. So I think we have a responsibility, as parents, to make sure we set healthy habits in our lives and around us, especially if there are children involved.

I also learnt from my experience as a Kitchen Teacher in Stephanie Alexander 's program that the best way to start those healthy habits in your family is cooking with children. They learn how to make the batter for a cake but also to wait until the cake is made in the oven (although they are always allowed to lick the spoon or bowl!) and it cools down. So the gratification of eating a piece of cake, and not three pieces by the way, will be delayed.

And they haven't been tested with a marshmallow in front of them. There are other and better ways to teach children ( and adults ) about self- control. 

Making bread suits perfectly for this post (and I don't mean using a commercial bread maker). This is the way I make it at home. I can recommend you two good books: Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking Vol II and the River Cottage Handbook No.3 by Daniel Stevens.

 SOURDOUGH BREAD

Prepare the STARTER ahead of time, at least 1 week (the older it gets the better the bread): 

• Mix together 225g strong white flour (or bread flour which is high content in gluten) and 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in 600ml tepid water to make a smooth batter.
• Cover with a damp cloth and leave for two days, stirring daily and dampening the cloth when necessary to it moist.
• The starter will be your new child: it needs to be fed regularly every two days by discarding 150ml and replace the same amount with flour and water. Store covered in the fridge. When you are ready to use, bring it back to room temperature and leave to develop for 4 hours.

For the bread I use these ingredients:

• 675g strong white flour and 1 cup of  strong wholemeal flour.
• 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp fine salt (not sea salt because it doesn't dissolve properly). You might have to adjust the salt with the practice of making bread
• 150ml of the starter (it will have separated so you have to stir it before adding it)
• 500ml tepid water
• 1 tbsp olive oil

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt together in a large bowl of a kitchen-aid. Add the starter and the tepid water and oil to the dry ingredients. If the dough is too dry, add a bit of water.
2. Knead for at least 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic and when you press the finger it doesn't get sticky. Shape into a ball and place in a oiled bowl, cover it loosely with a plastic bag to help the raising of the dough until doubled in size.
3. And from here, the more you raise the dough, deflate it and raise it again, the better the texture of the bread. I usually start the night before and leave in the fridge because a SLOW raise creates a better sourdough, according to my research. And I continue with the raising at least 3 times the next day.
4. In the last raising, pre heat the oven to 220C.
5. Grease a large or two bread loaf trays. Remove the dough from the bowl (if it comes straight from the fridge, make sure you wait one hour so the dough is at room temperature before it goes into the oven). Knead it briefly and place it in the loaf tray or any tray you wish.
6. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise until doubled in size. If you were making bread roll, you have to shape them into balls and follow this final step which is important for the gluten to keep developing.
7. And from now, things go fast. Lightly spray with water the loaf and dust it with flour ( I use spelt flour for this step, but it is optional), using a very sharp knife, slash the top in three places so the bread dough can expand.
8. I quickly open the oven, spray more water inside to create a bit of moist (professional ovens already have that magic setting to produce the crispy outer of the bread). Bake for 25 minutes or until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the base.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. have patience because the bread is actually tastier when it is warm….

This is satisfaction. Gratification. Please, when you make it…don't have self-control; goggle it up!!!!!

Keep it wrapped in a waxing paper at room in the fridge or you can also freezer if it is well wrapped with plastic film ( put it in a preheated oven straight from the freezer).

You could have a go to make bread and learn about timing and patience. You will be amazed of the rewarding pleasure you will experience when you bite the still warm piece of bread made by yourself.  Olive oil on top for me, butter for Nick.