Yeast

WHO Tyler Mosher WHAT With all the great craft beer out there, three Bates College graduates saw an opening in the hard cider market and decided to make their own. The result, Downeast Cider, produced in Waterville, Maine, has been rolling out into the bars of Boston this month. Mosher, 24, a Scituate native, explained what goes into making a cider, and how he and his partners, Ben Manter and Ross Brockman, think theirs will stand out. Q. What made the three of you decide that you were going to start making cider?

WHO Tyler Mosher WHAT With all the great craft beer out there, three Bates College graduates saw an opening in the hard cider market and decided to make their own. The result, Downeast Cider, produced in Waterville, Maine, has been rolling out into the bars of Boston this month. Mosher, 24, a Scituate native, explained what goes into making a cider, and how he and his partners, Ben Manter and Ross Brockman, think theirs will stand out. Q. What made the three of you decide that you were going to start making cider?

Serves 4 SPONGE 1 1/4 ounces fresh cake yeast or 2 packages ( 1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast 1 1/3 cups warm milk 1 3/4 cups flour 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 egg, beaten to mix 1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Add 1 tablespoon of flour and the sugar; set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.

Cambridge Brewing Co . has been pouring great beer in Kendall Square since 1989, but only recently did the brewpub begin bottling its beverages. It started last fall, when CBC put its hot-selling fall ale, The Great Pumpkin, in 22-ounce bottles. Now the brewpub is selling two year-round beers -- a Belgian tripel called Tripel Threat and a Belgian IPA called The Audacity of Hops -- as well as a rotation of single-batch beers, the first of which is a Scotch ale. Here's a look at those three beers, each of which retails for $7 to $8: Tripel Threat is a beautiful beer -- bright...

Makes about 3 1/2 quarts 1/2 cup popcorn kernels 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast powder (available in the health food section of most supermarkets) 1. In the microwave: Place the corn kernels in a paper bag. Heat them for 4 to 5 minutes on high. Remove the bag from the oven as soon as the popping slows down.

Makes 12 Traditionally eaten with butter and brown sugar, Nimco Mahamud-Hassan serves these pancakes with sliced bananas dusted with cinnamon and drizzled with maple syrup. They are delicious either way. 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 3 3/4 cups flour 1/2 cup wheat germ 2 teaspoons salt 2 eggs 2 cups milk ...

Makes 12 Anthony de Palma of Dolce de Palma recommends finding fresh yeast at a specialty grocery or your local baker. It adds complexity to the flavor of the flatbread, he says. You can freeze the dough, in pieces, for up to 3 weeks; thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 2 hours. DOUGH 1 1/2 cups warm water 2 tablespoons sugar 1 ounce fresh yeast or 2 envelopes dry yeast 1/2 cup olive oil 6 cups flour ...

Cambridge Brewing Co . has been pouring great beer in Kendall Square since 1989, but only recently did the brewpub begin bottling its beverages. It started last fall, when CBC put its hot-selling fall ale, The Great Pumpkin, in 22-ounce bottles. Now the brewpub is selling two year-round beers -- a Belgian tripel called Tripel Threat and a Belgian IPA called The Audacity of Hops -- as well as a rotation of single-batch beers, the first of which is a Scotch ale. Here's a look at those three beers, each of which retails for $7 to $8: Tripel Threat is a beautiful beer -- bright...

Makes 2 dozen To use the dough without storing it overnight, after the first rise, compress it lightly, divide and shape it, arrange in the pan, and leave to rise, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Finish the rolls by brushing and baking as directed. YEAST 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 1/2 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees)

Makes 1 large oblong Many recipes begin with a sponge of yeast and flour, which is kept for at least 24 hours before using. This simplified version produces a classic denser, chewier focaccia. 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 cup warm water, about 105 degrees (hand-hot) 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon sugar 3 1/2 cups flour 1 tablespoon wheat germ (optional)

Makes 4 loaves 2   tablespoons active dry yeast   2   cups lukewarm water   2   eggs   ½   cup vegetable oil   8   cups flour   1   tablespoon salt   ⅓   cup sugar   2   tablespoons anise seeds     Extra flour (for sprinkling)   2   extra yolks beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for the glaze)   1 ½   tablespoons sesame seeds   1. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water;...

Samuel Adams refers to the new installment in its Barrel Room Collection as a Belgian stout, but Thirteenth Hour has more in common with Belgian strong dark ales. Thirteenth Hour, which gets its name from its 13 ingredients, pours black with a short head that quickly dissipates. Notes of cherries overpower the malt profile, and then the Belgian yeast and licorice notes come through. Aged in oak barrels, this well-carbonated beer (9 percent ABV) is sweet up front and bitter on the swallow, with chocolate notes everywhere.

The fourth release in the Big Beer Series from New Hampshire's Smuttynose Brewing Co., Homunculus is labeled a Belgian-style golden ale. It's really more like a Belgian IPA. In fact, Homunculus -- Latin for "little human" -- was modeled after Houblon Chouffe (whose mascot is a gnome -- hence the homunculus), which some of us consider to be the greatest of all Belgian IPAs. So Homunculus has a lot to live up to. And live up it does. Bright golden-orange with a small head that quickly dissipates into a thin sheen, Homunculus boasts a hoppy, bready aroma that shows off its...

Makes 12 Traditionally eaten with butter and brown sugar, Nimco Mahamud-Hassan serves these pancakes with sliced bananas dusted with cinnamon and drizzled with maple syrup. They are delicious either way. 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 3 3/4 cups flour 1/2 cup wheat germ 2 teaspoons salt 2 eggs 2 ...

Makes 2 loaves Making babka is a half-day project. If you like, make the dough, let it rise, set it in the pans, then refrigerate overnight to bake the next day. DOUGH 3/4 cup whole milk, heated until warm 1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar 1 package ( 1/4 ounce) active dry yeast 2 whole eggs plus 2 extra yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon kosher...

Serves 6 These crisp oblong flatbreads have three parts: a thin yeast-bread base, homemade arugula pesto, cheese (ricotta salata, feta, or goat), and a mesclun salad. Chef Rich Garcia of Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro at Patriot Place in Foxborough offers them on his menu. To make them at home, prepare the components in stages. The breads can be made, baked, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for a month. Pesto will also keep for a week in an airtight container. The Tastings version of the dish is made with a Moroccan nut oil called argan; walnut oil is a good substitute.

Makes 4 loaves 2   tablespoons active dry yeast   2   cups lukewarm water   2   eggs   ½   cup vegetable oil   8   cups flour   1   tablespoon salt   ⅓   cup sugar   2   tablespoons anise seeds     Extra flour (for sprinkling)   2   extra yolks beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for the glaze)   1 ½   tablespoons sesame seeds   1. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water;...

Makes 15 The amount of flour depends upon humidity and other conditions on baking day. The dough should be supple and moist; if it is very sticky, you can work in up to 1/2 cup of additional flour before turning the dough onto the work surface for kneading. YEAST 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 7 tablespoons warm water (105 to 110 degrees)

Makes 12 Anthony de Palma of Dolce de Palma recommends finding fresh yeast at a specialty grocery or your local baker. It adds complexity to the flavor of the flatbread, he says. You can freeze the dough, in pieces, for up to 3 weeks; thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 2 hours. DOUGH 1 1/2 cups warm water 2 tablespoons sugar 1 ounce fresh yeast or 2 envelopes dry yeast 1/2 cup olive oil 6 cups flour ...

Makes two 12-inch crusts 3/4 cup warm water 1 packet (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons white cornmeal 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the bowl and grilling Cheese and toppings of your choice ...