Craftsbury Common, VT • They say man does not live by bread alone, but if the bread is good enough, one could certainly try. Author, teacher, and baker Richard Miscovich will be sharing his burning passions for both artisan breadmaking and heritage grains at the School of the New American Farmstead.
Miscovich will lead students in a hands-on, five-day summer course on breadmaking. During the class, held July 10-14, 2017, students will roll up their sleeves and practice the art of breadmaking using both domestic and wild yeasts, with an emphasis on baking with wood-fired ovens. The class starts with bread baking fundamentals but also explores diverse concepts such as long-fermented naturally leavened breads, sprouted grains, and sprouted grain flours. Students will develop their own starters from scratch, visit local and sustainable grain farms, and meet local artisan bakers who are reviving community-based approaches to the ancient crafts of milling and breadmaking.
“Bread baking is a comforting act,” Miscovich explains. “I want the class to feel relaxed and confident so they can harvest as much good energy as possible while taking away skills to make their life more resilient and delicious.”
Richard Miscovich is a Department Chair and teaches artisan bread baking to culinary students at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, and to home and professional bakers at classes and conferences around the country. In 2014, he received the Johnson & Wales Distinguished Scholarship Award. He is the author of From the Wood-Fired Oven (Chelsea Green Publishing) and instructs the online Craftsy courses “Handmade Sourdough: From Starter to Baked Loaf” and “King Arthur Flour’s Best Sandwich Breads.”
The class is being offered at Sterling College as part of the School of the New American Farmstead, its continuing education program that provides a variety of classes and workshops for aspiring agrarians, artisan food enthusiasts, and environmental stewards. These hands-on short courses in small-scale food production and sustainable farming offer one-on-one mentorship, inspiration, skills, and new perspectives that will feed the body, the mind, and the spirit.
This is the second year of the visionary School of the New American Farmstead, the creation of President Matthew Derr. Under President Derr’s leadership, the College has launched the Rian Fried Center for Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems; made substantial progress on renewable energy; transformed its agricultural facilities; and set records for enrollment and fundraising.
The School of the New American Farmstead at Sterling College is generously underwritten by two great Vermont businesses: Chelsea Green Publishing, the preeminent publisher of books on the politics and practice of sustainable living, and Vermont Creamery, an award winning creamery offering fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and créme fraîche that combine the European tradition of cheesemaking with Vermont’s terroir. Both Chelsea Green and Vermont Creamery are partner businesses that share a deep commitment to the environmental stewardship mission of Sterling College.
Online registration is now open, but spaces are limited. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Academic credit is available for all courses. For more information this course and to register, visit www.sterlingcollege.edu/bread.
Source: Sterling College
