HEARTH BREAD: A gift from the hearth!

HEARTH BREAD

For best success, read entire recipe before beginning
sponge:
Bread flour - 1c.
Wheat flour - 1/4 c.
Instant Yeast - 3/8 tsp.
Honey - 1 1/4 tsp.
Warm Water (80degrees) - 1 1/3 c.
Mix ingredients together. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside.

Bread flour - 1 3/4 c.
Instant yeast - 1/2 tsp.
Mix together and add to top of sponge. Cover with the plastic wrap. Place on or near the hearth and allow to ferment for 1-4 hours.  (When my hearth is not warm, I place my dough on the kitchen cabinet over the dishwasher while it is running.  The heat from the dishwasher provides enough heat for this stage of the process).

Remove plastic wrap and add 1 1/2 tsp. salt to mixture.  Mix till moist.  Knead dough 5 minutes on floured surface.  Cover w/bowl and allow to rest 20 minutes.  Knead dough
5-10 minutes more.  Place in oiled bowl.  Cover w/oiled plastic wrap (I spray the top of my dough with Pam to avoid sticking to plastic wrap). Place dough in unlit oven to rise for 1 hour.  Press down and refold dough.  Allow to rise 1 hour.  Shape dough.  Divide, if needed, and place into pans.  Cover w/oiled plastic wrap.  Allow to rise 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 475 degrees.   Slash and mist dough with water.  Add  1/2 cup of ice cubes to pan in bottom of oven. (I preheat this pan at the same time I preheat the oven.  The water will provide steam for moisture as the crust cooks quickly).  Bake 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees and continue cooking for 20 minutes. 
Remove from pans and let bread cool.  Slice and enjoy or wrap and give away - a gift from your hearth!

GRILLER'S DREAM COME TRUE!

March ... in like a lion - out like a lamb, or something like that.  What's certain is that Spring comes every March, making it one of our most anticipated times of the year!  We start firing up the grills and moving our gatherings outside.
I say grills, (plural) because the national statistics show that around 75% of American households own a grill or smoker and 30% own more than one.  That's why I'm so excited this year!
For years we have sold charcoal, gas, and pellet grills but this year there's something new - the EPICOA.  Portable, battery operated, and cooks for up to 40 people at once.  A 'must-have' addition for any outdoor chef and a TAILGATER'S DREAM!! 
This new product won the '2013 People's Choice' award at the HPBA and we are so excited to try it out.  It's coming to Wright's Hearth, Heat and Home soon - I'll keep you posted on its success!!
www.epicoa.com