on track again

I'm writing in-between sets of shoulder-presses on my new Olympic weight set, luxurious after years of making due with whatever's around. Exercise has long been my most-effective daily recharger, and now, I'm doing it more in style.
I also went on ebay and found a $1900 elliptical trainer for $400, which I promptly had to invest another 3 bills on to replace a defective part. Still, $700 later, I have what I need to get my cardio. I used to run, but my joints are not quite what they used to be, with psoriatic arthritis compromising my toughness (some of the daily wrecks I used to get into as a wild druggie would shatter my bones now). The elliptical has brought the cardio high back into my life. I am very grateful.
If this is your first time reading my blog, you may not know that one of my current missions is to make a "killer light" bread, which for the most part, will mean smaller and thinner servings, but will also be made with only the most nutritious of tasty grains, seeds, fiber, and organic sweeteners. There are lots of challenges here, and many questions to answer. That's why I have enlisted the aid of one Zia McCabe, the lovely and not-shy keyboardist/bassist for the great P-town band of world renoun, The Dandy Warhols. In fact, I began this light killer bread errand at her request, among others.
So, I have one celebrity tester as well as several other beautiful women (yep, it seems that women are the only ones who understand or care about what I'm doing here) guinea pigs. Oh, the drudgery...
Light bread is a nice idea for keeping trim, but for me, it's more about that exercise habit. A half hour with the weights, and another 45 minutes (less, when I reach my target leanness) on the trainer, and a great day is guaranteed! Time to get back to work...

p.s. If I can make a successful comeback, so can you! My advice: get of your butt, go down to the local fitness machine store and order an elliptical trainer (or just check them out, and buy a used one, like I did.). The guys down at Northwest Fitness on Sandy/Burnside will do you right, even if one is a cop on disability. They fixed my elliptical, and were very nice about it.
Anyhow, eating right is only part if the recipe for making a comeback. The rewards you get from exercise are precious beyond any words I can give you.

Zia's Visit

Ever hear of the Dandy Warhols? Of course, you have! Well, my favorite Dandy, the lovely Zia McCabe, made an appearance at NatureBake in Northeast Portland last Thursday. She brought her toddler daughter, Matilda, and she toured the bakery with my brother Glenn and I.
The reason for her visit was that she is a big killer bread fan and she's one of those who has asked me to create a delicious, nutritious, low-calorie bread. If you've been reading this blog (which is extremely unlikely), you know that that is something I am currently committed to.
That day, I had gotten up plenty early and made 4 batches of "killer light", all made with sprouted wheat and without flour, but each batch slightly different from the others. The intention was for Zia to be my celebrity guinea pig, and to write about it all in this blog. Also, I intend to create a new bread character who is female, plays keyboards, and wears Zia glasses. And name the new light bread in the lady's honor.
As the loaves were cooling on the rack, I left the bakery to take care of something at my home, and when I returned I was informed that all of my test bread had been sliced and wrapped and sitting on a table for me. I appreciated the help, only now, instead of 4 batches, I had one.
Well, the bread was all good, and some of it was better. But who knows which?
The good news? Zia's coming back to the bakery. We'll try this again.

More love for Dave's Bread in Foodday (includes recipe!)

Clay-Cooked Chicken and Vegetables
Whiskwise
Chipotle powder is his secret ingredient, and chicken is the mainstay meat for this cook Ever wonder what inspires today's great cooks? This column takes a look at some of the best in our area, featuring a little about their backgrounds, culinary likes and dislikes and favorite quick recipes. Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Name: Roger L. Taylor

City: Beaverton

Age: 65

Occupation: Retired from Intel in June after 24 years in facilities maintenance.

Favorite cookbook: A 1969 copy of "Arizona Homemakers Cookbook" with buffalo, javelina (wild pig) and rattlesnake stew recipes; I found it in an old-time food market when I lived in Tempe, Ariz.

Fondest food memory: My mom's hand-pampered/hammered breaded veal cutlets, served with pearl onions in cream sauce, sauteed shallots, butter beans and creamed cauliflower bits with homemade buttermilk biscuits.

First meal you ever prepared: Apple crisp in my high school cooking class for a "Serve the Teachers Day." The entire dinner, including my apple crisp, turned out great. The edible results surprised even the teachers, and the event made the school yearbook.

Best meal you ever prepared: Turkey tortilla soup, a recipe from Sunset magazine, for my wife's family. I was a new member of the family, and they all loved it, even with the "spicy" tone it had.

One food you couldn't live without: Chicken, any way it's cooked.

Favorite recent food find: Dave's Killer Bread, a line of organic breads sold at the Beaverton Farmers Market and local stores. Dave Dahl, whose company's slogan is, "Just say no to bread on drugs," also has an interesting and sincere story about overcoming substance abuse.

Offbeat item you always have on hand: Chipotle chile powder. I use it in my spicy pecans, soups and on grilled chicken.

If you were an herb or spice, what would you be? Oregano. It's a delicate, ancient herb that's enjoyable to cook with. You hold it in your hands and crush it as you use it to prepare a meal with love.

Favorite guilty pleasure food: Jelly Belly malted milk balls.

Favorite Portland restaurant: Tabla, a quiet eastside corner restaurant that is owned and run by a dear friend of my wife; the menu is Mediterranean bistro and offers a variety of pasta and meat dishes. My favorites are a maitake mushroom flan; tajarin pasta with truffle butter; and bison short ribs with braised porcini mushrooms. Great wines, too.

Most memorable food fiasco: Pumpkin biscuits, from Sunset magazine. I misread the recipe and used baking soda instead of powder. It was saltier than New England dried cod.

If you could invite anyone to dinner, who would it be? Paula Deen, from the Food Network channel, because she overcame agoraphobia (fear of outdoors/open spaces) and has grown to make food preparation and meals from her heart. I'd also invite my three sisters-in-law, as they are superb "new recipe" users and never fail to amaze us at any meal.

Favorite quick/easy recipe:

Clay-Cooked Chicken and Vegetables
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Makes 4 servings

This freezes well for great rainy-day leftovers. Be sure to allow time to pre-soak the clay cooker before starting recipe. Serve the chicken hot with chunks of Dave's Killer Bread, available (seasonally) at Beaverton Farmers Market and stores that carry natural foods.


1 whole chicken, about 31/2 pounds (or chicken parts)
Olive oil
1 large onion, quartered
3 8-inch stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (divided)
1 large red onion, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 12- to 16-ounce package baby carrots
16 whole fingerling potatoes
10 to 12 whole, small and peeled mushrooms, stems removed (see note)
2 cups canned chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or to taste
1 medium shallot, cut in 1/4-inch dice
Salt and pepper
1 rounded teaspoon dried leaf oregano (not ground oregano; add more if you're an oregano lover)

Another Testimonial

---------------

From: Diane (last name withheld)
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 2:30 PM
To: dave@daveskillerbread.com
Subject: Yet another testimonial

 


Dear Dave:


I am not from this area. I am visiting relatives before heading to New Zealand and beyond to do volunteer work.  Last Wednesday I was driving my uncle's car down the street ( kind, generous relatives!) on Halsey, when I spotted the sandwich board "best bread in Portland".  I drove past, and decided I should check it out, and found my way back to your factory.  Ah, the power of good advertising!


 


I bought a loaf of Nuts and Grains bread, and a pack of cranberry orange muffins, after sampling them in the store. (free samples, the best marketing tool every invented). I  ate a slice of bread in the car, and was impressed. Now,  6 days later, your bread is still just as moist and delicious. I have now decided that your bread is the best bread I have ever eaten, and I have eaten bread in at least 25 countries around the world.  The muffins have proven to be too heavy to eat a whole one in one sitting, but in smaller doses, are magnificent as well.


 


I have made a couple new local converts for you, and now it is time to fly.  I look forward to the day you license someone in New Zealand to make your bread for you there.  You will have a good market there as well as the US.


 


And sincere congratulations on leaving your past life for something so much better.  Your brother loves you very, very much.


Sincerely,


Diane

A Killer Price

-----Original Message-----
From: Lydia (last name withheld)
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 1:44 PM
To: dave@daveskillerbread.com
Subject: love the bread

Hey Dave,
Just recently heard your ad and found the bread at Freddies and New Seasons. I thought I was paying $4.19 and was charged $4.79 for the Powerseed.
Whoa. Man it is excellent bread, and I just had a pbj w/ Kettle pb (I did hear they have sold out recently) Vashon Isle Canola/ Butter blend and your Daves Portland bread. I SO like to use and eat local. But; whoa on the price. I am a family of 1 and buy 3 get one free is too much bread for me:-) LO has a good bread, Seattle area has a good bread, Daves is better...maybe with more sales you can get the price down or have advertised sales or maybe $2 off coupons??? the $3.00-3.99 ish price range really is reasonable . How about smaller sized slices?
Also why are the different flavors different prices? I read the q&a's saw no other info.

Glad you got your life together and I hope I can eat your bread on occasion as it really is excellent bread.

Great luck to you!
Barb, LO

Hey Barbara,

I hear you...the prices are pretty high, but that's what it costs for killer bread that is loaded with the best of ingredient combinations. Other breads are cheaper because A. they use much-cheaper ingredients, or they "dilute" the bread, using a lot less of the "killer" stuff, B. don't use expensive (but worth it) organic ingredients C. they use chemicals which make the bread last longer and don't have to eat the cost of unsold loaves.
I can assure you that I sell my bread for the very lowest price I can make a reasonable profit on. I don't believe you will find a bread comparable to mine at any price. I don't know of any. Although my bread is the most expensive sandwich bread out there, people will pay it when they understand its value. If they want bread like mine, they know they have to support its hefty price. Should people decide my bread is not worth the price, I will go out of business. If I lower my prices, I will also go out of business.
The Power Seed is the most expensive simply because it costs more to make than the rest, because of the fruit juice used in place of sugar. I'm currently working with organic agave syrup as a sweetener, which is even more expensive, but probably not enough to affect the selling price. As for smaller slices, I've got some new offerings on the way that you should keep an eye open for.
There are stores who sell the bread for less (Peoples' Co-op, Alberta Co-op, Food Front, Food Fight, Zupan's) and New Seasons has specials on my bread every day (last week, the Power Seed was $2.99).
And if you come to NatureBake, you can get frozen, days-old (but good!) bread for much less (not to mention "buy 3, get one free").


A few options for ya...thanks for trying the bread!

Cordially,

Dave

I've got the will, and I've found a way.

I'm happy to report that I am finally in possession of all of the tools I need to get back into fighting shape. Here, in the heart of whitetrashville, where I currently (and gratefully) make my home, is my fairly-complete home gym: nice Olympic weight set and proper stands and benches, adjustable dumbells, and best of all, my elliptical trainer. It appears that the majority of my neighbors are deep into a self-destructive lifestyle not very much unlike that which I have left behind, and I am alone on a mission to make up for lost time. I can only imagine what they are doing on the other side of those walls. I can't save them, but I can be the change I want to see.
Part of that change is getting into the shape I was when I left the joint in December of '04. I won't do it by dieting. Creating a killer low-carb "diet bread" (killer light?) is on my short-list of worthy projects, but don't expect me to eat it. I have never been a dieter. I just exercise hard.
I put on a few pounds when I quit smoking a few months ago, and my arthritis kicked in and made running a painful ordeal. To reduce the impact on my joints, I finally purchased a good elliptical trainer. and now it's on! Ok, it's not going to be as easy as it was in my 20's, but people who use age as an excuse just get older quicker. I readily accept the challenge not to go quietly into my later middle years.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Eat Killer Bread...Lose Weight!

The "tasks" section of my Outlook program keeps getting bigger by the day. Each one of these planned objectives deserves its own blog entry. But today, it's all about the latest bread I've been working on. Tentantively called "killer light", it's a "diet" bread with 70-75 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of net carbs (14 minus 4) per slice.

This bread's story begins with "market research" done on the fly at farmers' markets--conversations with killer bread-lovers who told me they wanted a lower-calorie bread with "killer taste and texture". This is not an easy task, since these are not "diet bread" qualities. I am not willing to use artificial ingredients, and I prefer to use organic ingredients wherever possible. I believe this may be the first diet bread that isn't "on drugs". ("Say 'no' to bread-on-drugs", I always say.)

To keep it natural and healthy as well as "diet" means using ingredients which don't taste so great (like oat fiber) in quantities which are significant nutritionally, and filling, without detracting from the product's taste. Another aspect of creating such a bread is to make the serving size smaller, and yet large enough so that people don't feel cheated when they eat a slice. This means a piece with a diameter that's a little smaller, and sliced as thinly as possible, but still as functional as a bigger slice.

Is it an art or a science? Whatever it is, I just feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be doing something that has the potential of making peoples' lives better, including my own.

I still have questions to answer. For instance, should I use organic agave cactus syrup as a sweetener, since it has a low-glycemic index? How much fiber is too much? Is the serving size just right?

If you would like to be a "killer light" guinea pig, please email me. All you'll have to do is come by NatureBake any time after I have made a batch. I'll give you a great deal: 2 bucks a loaf. You give me your feedback.