Baking for the Farmers Market
Market baking is production baking in a parking lot outfit. The trick is to scale what you can control and simplify what you cannot. We keep batches small enough to mix, lift, and develop properly, because dough quality does not improve when your back gives out. Dough temperature still matters, even when you are tired.
Transport is a real part of the recipe. Loaves go into clean crates with cloth liners so the crust stays crisp and the shape stays proud. Label everything. At 6am, your brain is basically a starter: alive, but slow. Organization turns “I think we brought the baguettes” into “yes, here they are.”
Samples are marketing, but they are also hospitality. We slice small, we butter, and we let people taste the crust while it is still singing. Bring more than you think. People buy bread after they taste bread. This is not complicated, but it is powerful.
Finally: price like a grown-up. Know your costs, build in labor, and do not apologize for quality. Bring change, a card reader, and a notebook to track what moved. The market is windy and joyful. Prep well and you can actually enjoy it.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 900g bread flour
- 700g water
- 200g active starter
- 18g salt
Instructions
- Mix flour and 650g water; rest 30 minutes.
- Add starter and salt; mix until cohesive, adding remaining water if needed.
- Bulk ferment 4–5 hours at 75°F with 4 folds in first 2 hours.
- Divide, pre-shape, rest 20 minutes. Shape two boules or batards.
- Cold proof 8–12 hours. Bake at 475°F in Dutch ovens: 22 minutes covered, 28–32 uncovered.
- Cool fully before packing for market. Sample generously.