My First Baguettes

So remember how I made that pizza a few days ago? In the instructions it said “Snip off a small piece of dough to use for Mixed-Starter Bread.” So I did. I wrapped it up in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge, then forgot about it for a few days. Then on Tuesday I found it and thought, “What the hell?” So I started following the directions laid out for this mixed starter bread and 2 days later, we have baguettes! The instructions say that you need to leave this dough to rise somewhere with a temperature between 80-85 degrees but seriously, there is nowhere in my house where it is ever that warm unless I am a really unhappy person. Anyone recall when my air conditioner broke this last summer? Being hot is one of my least favorite things. So to try to get anywhere near that temp, I put this little ball of dough in my oven with the oven light on there it lived for the last two days in between feedings (I know some people are weirded out by yeast being ALIVE, but I really dig it). Yesterday I brought everything to work with me and created these beautiful baguettes in between waiting on customers and checking in a huge pile of new scarves. Fun! This was definitely a long and involved process, but very worthwhile. I will not mind doing it again at all when we get to that recipe as a group. I mean, I made baguettes people! And they were good and crusty and impressive-looking! It’s kind of a red letter day in my baking life. Baguettes for everyone!