Bread Demo, Talk & Tasting by Borealis Bread Owner/Founder Jim Amaral (5/13)
Focaccia and oat bran bread are naturally leavened breads that are great by themselves and make memorable sandwiches. Focusing on 'Garden Focaccia' and a new 'Toasted Oat Bread,' Jim Amaral, owner/founder of Maine's famed Borealis Breads, will give a talk and demonstration/tasting in the Kitchen Garden Café at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens on Tuesday, May 13, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. This program is part of the Kitchen Garden Series co-presented by Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine.
Borealis Breads are naturally leavened with preferment or starter and contain no preservatives. No commercial baker's yeast is used, except in the French baguette. The long (12-16 hours), natural leavening enhances the flavor and increases digestibility. Then, as are traditional European artisan loaves, the breads are baked on stone hearths in seam-injected deck ovens or in a wood-fired oven.
The ingredients are basic and beautiful: flour, water, salt. To these are added other tasty ingredients: olives, apples and cranberries, rosemary and more. Each loaf is shaped by hand by a baker who takes pride in producing bread that is moist, chewy and crusty.
Jim Amaral founded Borealis Breads in June of 1993. He has since grown the business to include 45 employees, two bakeries and 350 wholesale accounts. Since its inception, Borealis Breads has baked over 10 million rustic sourdough breads! Borealis Breads are now delivered fresh daily to stores in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Jim began his career as a baker while in high school and then put himself through Bates College, baking summers and during vacations, he graduated in 1982 with a degree in philosophy and religion. In 1990 Jim moved to Seattle where he developed his sourdough bread baking skills at Grand Central baking Co. and at the Greenwood Bakery.
Since 1998 in an effort to create breads that are truly part of Maine’s foodscape, Jim has worked directly with Maine farmers and pioneered the use of locally grown, organic wheat. Jim’s commitment to using local wheat has led to the establishment of a new milling business at the Williams Farm in Aroostook County.
For five years Jim mentored the -Students Baking a Living' program at Fort Fairfield High School. Providing production and marketing guidance as the students started their own successful baking business. He also co-chaired the Maine Department of Agriculture’s marketing advisory committee and helped develop the 'Get Real Get Maine' program.
In October of 2006, Jim spent a week in Turin Italy where he was invited to present at 'Terra Madre' a worldwide gathering of 5000 farmers and artisan food producers and chefs, all advocates for the slow food movement and the preservation of local foods and sustainable food systems.
Reservations are required for Jim Amaral's talk and tasty demo. Call 207-633-4333, or sign up below.
Date/Time: Tuesday, May 13, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Location: Kitchen Garden Cafe
Gardens Members: $25.00
Non-members: $35.00