ZU(zoo) bakery is located in a barn on Talbot Farm in South Freeport, Maine. I use traditional French bread baking methods and bake in a large wood-fired brick oven. I begin with certified organic ingredients including whole grains that are milled just prior to mixing the dough. This fresh milling allows the flavor of the grains to stand out and optimizes the nutritional value by preserving the germ oil and bran in their freshest state. The salt used is an unprocessed sea salt containing vital trace minerals and has a sweetness unlike other salts. Leavening is achieved through the use of a levain (natural starter), which lends the bread a complex flavor and long shelf life. The water is un-chlorinated and from a local spring. The dough is developed over a span of 24 hours in which a slow fermentation is encouraged. Variations in color and shape are the result of hand shaping. The hotter oven produces a substantial, almost leathery crust with a dark, caramelized flavor and moist crumb.
BREADS
CAMPAGNE – A traditional French country boule made from whole wheat and rye
LEVAIN – A wheat bread with the addition of organic currants and cardamon
INTEGRALE – A bread made with wheat, rye, corn, flax and sesame seeds
COMPLET – A 100% Whole wheat loaf
SEIGLE – A traditional, dense French peasant’s bread made from finely milled rye
PANGIALLO – An Italian bread made from polenta, rosemary and olive oil
PRICES
Breads currently sell for $3.00 per pound.
Wheat prices at the Minneapolis Grain Exchange increased 83% in 2007 and have increased another 66% since December of 2007. Incentives to produce corn for ethanol has diverted a great deal of planting acres away from wheat. This coupled with excessive rain in the west and a drought in the east resulting in smaller and poor yields, has produced a severe shortage of available wheat.
WHERE TO FIND ZU
WINTER: On Saturday mornings (9am-12pm) I sell bread, focaccia, pastries and Alago free-range eggs from our home. The address is 10 Cheehaak Road in South Freeport.
SUMMER: Saturday mornings, you can find me selling my breads and biscotti at the Crystal Spring Farmers’ Market in Brunswick, Maine.
CONTACT
PHONE: (207) 409-0117
EMAIL : zubakery@gmail.com
