0_Wizard
The most common thing most people bake is bread. You'd think it was cookies or cake. Do you bake?
The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods are baked.
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Baking
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The American Baking Competition
The American Baking Competition is a reality competition television series that aired on CBS from May 29 to July 10, 2013. It was based on the BBC baking competition "The Great British Bake Off". The series aimed to find the best amateur baker in the United States. The series was hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and judged by Marcela Valladolid and Paul Hollywood. The competition was won by Brian Emmett. The show aimed to find among its contestants the best amateur baker in the US. Ten contestants were chosen for the first season. In each episode, the amateur bakers were given three challenges: a signature dish, a technical challenge, and a show-stopper.
Christmas traditions
Christmas traditions vary from country to country. Christmas celebrations for many nations include the installing and lighting of Christmas trees, the hanging of Advent wreaths, Christmas stockings, candy canes, and the creation of Nativity scenes depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas carols may be sung and stories told about such figures as the Baby Jesus, St Nicholas, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind or Grandfather Frost. The sending and exchange of Christmas card greetings, observance of fasting and special religious observances such as a midnight Mass or Vespers on Christmas Eve, the burning of a Yule log, and the giving and receiving of presents.
The Great British Bake Off (series 1)
The first series of "The Great British Bake Off", first aired on BBC Two on 17 August 2010. Ten home bakers took part in a bake-off to test every aspect of their baking skills as they battled to be crowned the Great British Bake Off's best amateur baker. Each week the nationwide tour saw bakers put through three challenges in a particular discipline, with some being eliminated from competition at the end of the episode. The rounds of the competition took place in various locations across the UK following a theme, for example, the episode on puddings would take place in Bakewell, bread baking would take place near Sandwich.
Cuisine of the United States
The cuisine of the United States reflects its history. The European colonization of the Americas yielded the introduction of a number of ingredients and cooking styles to the latter. The various styles continued expanding well into the 19th and 20th centuries, proportional to the influx of immigrants from many different nations; such influx developed a rich diversity in food preparation throughout the country. Early Native Americans utilized a number of cooking methods in early American Cuisine that have been blended with early European cooking methods to form the basis of American Cuisine. When the colonists came to the colonies, they farmed animals for clothing and meat in a similar fashion to what they had done in Europe.
The Great British Bake Off (series 5)
The fifth series of "The Great British Bake Off" began on Wednesday 6 August 2014. Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins presented the show and Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood returned as judges. Twelve contestants competed in this series, and the competition was held in Welford Park in Berkshire. The series was won by Nancy Birtwhistle, with Luis Troyano and Richard Burr finishing as runners-up. The programme was moved from BBC Two to BBC One starting this year, however the Masterclass episodes remained on BBC Two. A companion series "" hosted by comedian Jo Brand started this year was also shown on BBC Two.
Nordic bread culture
Nordic bread culture has existed in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden from prehistoric time through to the present. Four grain types dominated in the Nordic countries: barley and rye are the oldest; wheat and oats are more recent. During the Iron Age (500 AD – 1050 AD), rye became the most commonly used grain, followed by barley and oats. Rye was also the most commonly used grain for bread up until the beginning of the 20th century. Today, older grain types such as emmer and spelt are once again being cultivated and new bread types are being developed from these grains. Archaeological finds in Denmark indicate use of the two triticum (wheat) species, emmer and einkorn, during the Mesolithic Period (8900 BC – 3900 BC).
The Great British Bake Off (series 2)
The second series of "The Great British Bake Off" started 14 August 2011 with twelve amateur bakers. Unlike series one, the competition was held in a single location – in the ground of Valentines Mansion, a 17th-century mansion house in Redbridge. In addition to their on-screen presenting roles, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins also took over the narration of the show, which had been done by Stephen Noonan the previous series. Series two also introduced the "star baker" award for the most impressive performer each week. Three and a half thousand people applied for the competition, and 12 were selected.
1_Apprentice
I can bake, but I don't do it very often anymore.  We only eat bread made with almond flour and so I don't do it very often.
0_Wizard
I love using almond flour. Theres four grains that dominated in nordic countries. do you know what they are?
Four grain types dominated in the Nordic countries: barley and rye are the oldest; wheat and oats are more recent.
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Nordic bread culture
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Nordic countries
The Nordic countries or the Nordic are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic, where they are most commonly known as "Norden" (literally "the North"). They consist of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, including Greenland and Faroe Islands—which are both constituent countries within the Kingdom of Denmark—and the Åland Islands. The population of the Nordic countries are mainly Scandinavian or Finnish, with Greenlandic Inuit and the Sami people as indigenous minorities, since Scandinavians comprise over three quarters of the region's population and is thus the largest group by far.
Radiant barrier
Radiant barriers (also known as reflective insulation) are a type of thermal (heat) insulations that prevents heat transfer by thermal radiation. Thermal energy may also be transferred via conduction or convection, however, and radiant barriers do not necessarily protect against heat transfer via conduction (without airspace facing the heat source) or convection (perforated). There are many definitions of thermal/heat insulation and it is commonly misinterpreted as “Bulk/Mass/Batt Insulation”, which is actually used to resist conduction heat transfer with certain R-values. Heat/thermal insulation is a barrier material which resists/blocks/reflects heat energy (either one or more of "conduction", "convection" or "radiation") to prevent its transfer through the boundary between two systems which are at different temperatures.
Elana Amsterdam
Elana Amsterdam is the New York Times Bestselling author of "Paleo Cooking from Elana's Pantry". She writes cookbooks for gluten-free cooking, using almond flour and coconut flour as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. Her book, "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook", was named one of the "Best Cookbooks of 2009" by "The Denver Post". Amsterdam has partnered with the California Almond Board in conjunction with her works. Her blog, elanaspantry.com, was named one of the top 50 food blogs by Cision. Amsterdam contributed an article to Shape Magazine and she was featured on Fox News's On the Hunt with Jonathan Hunt.
Almond
The almond ("Prunus dulcis", syn. "Prunus amygdalus") is a species of tree native to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and North Africa. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus "Prunus", it is classified with the peach in the subgenus "Amygdalus", distinguished from the other subgenera by corrugations on the shell (endocarp) surrounding the seed. The fruit of the almond is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed, which is not a true nut, inside. Shelling almonds refers to removing the shell to reveal the seed.
Nordic bread culture
Nordic bread culture has existed in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden from prehistoric time through to the present. Four grain types dominated in the Nordic countries: barley and rye are the oldest; wheat and oats are more recent. During the Iron Age (500 AD – 1050 AD), rye became the most commonly used grain, followed by barley and oats. Rye was also the most commonly used grain for bread up until the beginning of the 20th century. Today, older grain types such as emmer and spelt are once again being cultivated and new bread types are being developed from these grains. Archaeological finds in Denmark indicate use of the two triticum (wheat) species, emmer and einkorn, during the Mesolithic Period (8900 BC – 3900 BC).
Marzipan
Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar or honey and almond meal (ground almonds), sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into sweets; common uses are chocolate-covered marzipan and small marzipan imitations of fruits and vegetables. It can also be used in biscuits or rolled into thin sheets and glazed for icing cakes, primarily birthday, wedding cakes and Christmas cakes. This use is particularly common in the UK, on large fruitcakes. Marzipan paste may also be used as a baking ingredient, as in stollen or banket. In some countries, it is shaped into small figures of animals as a traditional treat for New Year's Day.
Medieval cuisine
Medieval cuisine includes foods, eating habits, and cooking methods of various European cultures during the Middle Ages, which lasted from the fifth to the fifteenth century. During this period, diets and cooking changed less than they did in the early modern period that followed, when those changes helped lay the foundations for modern European cuisine. Cereals remained the most important staple during the early Middle Ages as rice was introduced late, and the potato was only introduced in 1536, with a much later date for widespread consumption. Barley, oat and rye were eaten by the poor. Wheat was for the governing classes.
1_Apprentice
I do not, what are they?
0_Wizard
Wheat barley rye oats
During the Iron Age (500 AD – 1050 AD), rye became the most commonly used grain, followed by barley and oats.
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Nordic bread culture
self_4_Nordic_bread_culture
Nordic bread culture
Nordic bread culture has existed in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden from prehistoric time through to the present. Four grain types dominated in the Nordic countries: barley and rye are the oldest; wheat and oats are more recent. During the Iron Age (500 AD – 1050 AD), rye became the most commonly used grain, followed by barley and oats. Rye was also the most commonly used grain for bread up until the beginning of the 20th century. Today, older grain types such as emmer and spelt are once again being cultivated and new bread types are being developed from these grains. Archaeological finds in Denmark indicate use of the two triticum (wheat) species, emmer and einkorn, during the Mesolithic Period (8900 BC – 3900 BC).
Oat
The oat ("Avena sativa"), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed. Oats are a nutrient-rich food associated with lower blood cholesterol when consumed regularly. Avenins present in oats (proteins similar to gliadin from wheat) can trigger celiac disease in a small proportion of people. Also, oat products are frequently contaminated by other gluten-containing grains, mainly wheat and barley.
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease, also spelled celiac disease, is a long-term autoimmune disorder primarily affecting the small intestine that occurs in people who are genetically predisposed. Classic symptoms include gastrointestinal problems such as chronic diarrhoea, abdominal distention, malabsorption, loss of appetite, and among children failure to grow normally. This often begins between six months and two years of age. Non-classic symptoms are more common, especially in people older than two years. There may be mild or absent gastrointestinal symptoms, a wide number of symptoms involving any part of the body, or no obvious symptoms.
Wheat allergy
Wheat allergy is an allergy which typically presents itself as a food allergy, but can also be a contact allergy resulting from occupational exposure to wheat. Like all allergies, wheat allergy involves immunoglobulin E and mast cell response. Typically the allergy is limited to the seed storage proteins of wheat, some reactions are restricted to wheat proteins, while others can react across many varieties of seeds and other plant tissues. Wheat allergy may be a misnomer since there are many allergenic components in wheat, for example serine protease inhibitors, glutelins and prolamins and different responses are often attributed to different proteins.
Adjuncts
Adjuncts are unmalted grains (such as corn, rice, rye, oats, barley, and wheat) or grain products used in brewing beer which supplement the main mash ingredient (such as malted barley), often with the intention of cutting costs, but sometimes to create an additional feature, such as better foam retention, flavours or nutritional value or additives. Both solid and liquid adjuncts are commonly used. Ingredients which are standard for certain beers, such as wheat in a wheat beer, may be termed adjuncts when used in beers which could be made without them — such as adding wheat to a pale ale for the purpose of creating a lasting head.
Rye
Rye ("Secale cereale") is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe (Triticeae) and is closely related to barley (genus "Hordeum") and wheat ("Triticum"). Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, crisp bread, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder. It can also be eaten whole, either as boiled rye berries or by being rolled, similar to rolled oats. Rye is a cereal grain and should not be confused with ryegrass, which is used for lawns, pasture, and hay for livestock. Rye is one of a number of species that grow wild in central and eastern Turkey and in adjacent areas.
Barley
Barley ("Hordeum vulgare"), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Barley has been used as animal fodder, as a source of fermentable material for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods. It is used in soups and stews, and in barley bread of various cultures. Barley grains are commonly made into malt in a traditional and ancient method of preparation. In 2014, barley was ranked fourth among grains in quantity produced (144 million tonnes) behind maize, rice and wheat.
1_Apprentice
Interesting - although I hear that the ancient grains aren't anything like the grains today.
0_Wizard
Not at all. I love to stick with sprouted bread instead. 
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Sprouted bread
Sprouted bread is a type of bread made from whole grains that have been allowed to sprout, that is, to germinate, before being milled into flour. There are a few different types of sprouted grain bread. Some are made with additional added flour, some are made with added gluten, and some, such as Essene bread, are made with very few additional ingredients. These are breads that contain the whole grain (or kernel, or berry) of various seeds after they have been sprouted. They are different from 'white' bread inasmuch as 'white' breads are made from ground wheat endosperm (after removal of the bran and germ).
Arab European League
The Arab European League (Dutch: "Arabisch-Europese Liga", AEL) is a Pan-Arabist civil rights movement/organization in Belgium and the Netherlands. AEL was founded and is led by Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese-born Shi'a Muslim living in Belgium who emigrated from Lebanon in 1991 to begin university studies in Belgium. In July 2006, Abou Jahjah returned to Lebanon allegedly to join the battle of the 2006 Lebanon War on the side of Hezbollah against Israel. The AEL describes itself as Nasserite, Pan-Arabist and anti-Zionist. The group expresses support for the actions of Islamist "resistance" against the occupation of Iraq and approves the killings of coalition soldiers.
Sprouting
Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten raw or cooked. Sprouts can be germinated at home or produced industrially. They are a prominent ingredient of the raw food diet and common in Eastern Asian cuisine. Sprouting, like cooking, reduces anti-nutritional compounds in raw legumes. Raw lentils, for example, contain lectins, anti-nutritional proteins which can be reduced by sprouting or cooking. Sprouting is also applied on a large scale to barley as a part of the malting process. A downside to consuming raw sprouts is that the process of germinating seeds can also be conducive to harmful bacterial growth.
Dyab Abou Jahjah
Dyab Abou Jahjah (, born 24 June 1971 in Hanin, Lebanon) is an Arab political activist and writer who was active in Europe between 2001 and 2007. He is the founder and former leader of the Arab European League (AEL), a Pan-Arabist movement that supports the interests of Muslim immigrants in Europe. Since then, Abou Jahjah took distance from identity politics and is more operating out of a non-ethnic, secular and leftist framework. He was born and grew up in southern Lebanon in Hanin, near the Lebanese-Israeli border. He obtained refugee status in 1996 and became a Belgian citizen through marriage to a Belgian woman, from whom he much later divorced.
Crouton
A crouton is a piece of sautéed or rebaked bread, often cubed and seasoned, that is used to add texture and flavor to salads, notably the Caesar salad, as an accompaniment to soups and stews, or eaten as a snack food. The word crouton is derived from the French "croûton", itself derived from "croûte", meaning "crust". Most people consider "croutons" to come invariably in the shape of small cubes, but they can actually be of any size and shape, up to a very large slice. A croûton (crouton) is a diminutive form of a croûte (croute), much like a cigarette is a diminutive form of a cigar. Many people now use crouton for croute, so the usage has changed.
Peter Reinhart
Peter Reinhart is an American baker, educator and author. He is most known for writing "Bread Revolution", "American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza", "The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking" and "The Bread Baker’s Apprentice." Four of his books have been nominated for James Beard Awards, with three of them winning, including the "Book of the Year" in 2002 for "The Bread Baker’s Apprentice". Reinhart is considered to be one of the most respected baking educators in America. He is also the founder of Brother Juniper's Bakery in Santa Rosa, California (since closed). Currently, he serves as full-time Chef on Assignment at Johnson & Wales University.
Nordic bread culture
Nordic bread culture has existed in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden from prehistoric time through to the present. Four grain types dominated in the Nordic countries: barley and rye are the oldest; wheat and oats are more recent. During the Iron Age (500 AD – 1050 AD), rye became the most commonly used grain, followed by barley and oats. Rye was also the most commonly used grain for bread up until the beginning of the 20th century. Today, older grain types such as emmer and spelt are once again being cultivated and new bread types are being developed from these grains. Archaeological finds in Denmark indicate use of the two triticum (wheat) species, emmer and einkorn, during the Mesolithic Period (8900 BC – 3900 BC).
1_Apprentice
Almond flour works for us because it's lower in carbs.  But it definitely has a different texture.