I haven't made it in quite a while but the Pumpernickel we like best is the one that was on the old Fleishman yeast packets...it is identical to the one in Bernard Clayton's book also. It is very dark and rich and lovely to work with. It has cocoa in it and caraway seeds . I used to make it all the time and use it for ham sandwiches. It was also great toasted with orange marmalade...yum !! You are making me hungry natal !! If you like I will go and pull it out and write it out for you here.

Colleen, I got the recipe from the "tomato" thread. As Lars said, I think it would go very well with tomatoes. If only I had some worth eating, alas. Anyway, here's the recipe as posted by Lars. Rye Bread with Caraway and Fennel 1-1/2 pound loaf (approx.): 2 tbsp caraway seeds 1 tbsp fennel seeds 1-1/2 cups water 2 tbsp onion powder (can substitute 1/4 cup pureed onion) 1-1/8 cups dark rye flour 1-7/8 cups bread flour 2 tbsp semolina flour 2 tbsp VWG 2 tbsp brown sugar 1-1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp IDY Grind caraway seeds and fennel seeds in a coffee grinder that is used only for spices. Add the seeds to the water (I use a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup) and microwave for one minute. Stir and microwave 20 more seconds, and then add the onion powder (or pureed onion if you are using that). If using pureed onion instead of onion powder, you can reduce the water by 2 tablespoons. Allow the ground seeds to sit in the warm water until the water has cooled to about 100 degrees. Meanwhile, add the flours, wheat gluten, sugar, and salt to the bread machine pan and stir gently with a plastic spatula. Add the oil to this mixture and stir slightly. Insert pan into the machine and lock in place. When the seeds have soaked for at least 15 minutes, add the seed/water mixture to the bread machine pan. Close the lid and add the yeast to the yeast dispenser. Set the machine for small loaf (1-1/2 pounds), medium crust, and regular loaf, or you can use the pizza setting if you want to shape the loaf yourself. Start the machine. When the bread is done, remove from pan and rub all sides with butter, and then allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack before storing it in a bag. Wait at least one hour before slicing. These directions are for the Panasonic bread machine that I have, and so you may have to adjust them if you have a different machine. The bread has a very intense flavor, and so you can cut back on the seeds/onion, but I like with a strong flavor. It is not as versatile as plain bread, but it makes great sandwiches. Grainlady gave me the suggestion to soak the seeds first, so that they will not cut the gluten strands, I think. Anyway, the loaf came out nice and light - not dense at all. Lars Colleen, I will definitely make this again, it's very flavorful, although I might cut the brown sugar to one tablespoon and get a slightly more savory dough in some instances. Annie

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you, we've been out of town for a week and I just got back late this afternoon and am playing catch-up. Glad you had good results with the recipe. I give credit to my friend Mildred in Missouri for sharing the recipe with me. 1. I would add the coarser flour to the sponge. Either will work (as you have discovered), but the sponge gives the sharp bits of bran time to soak up the liquid and soften in the coarse flour. Those sharp bits can cut gluten strands. 2. Bread Machine Yeast is a type of fast-acting yeast like SAF-Instant is. You made a good substitute. SAF-Instant is a "super" yeast, and somewhat different from the other brands of fast-acting yeast products (Bread Machine, Rapid-Rise and Quick-Rise). I consider SAF-Instant a superior choice over the other fast-rising yeast products, but that's a personal choice. I've used all of them at one time or another over the years. 3. Pan sizes... A 9x5-inch pan is actually designed for quick breads and holds about 2-pounds of dough. For over two pounds of dough you would need a Jumbo Pan - 10x4-1/2-inch. I personally don't like these over-size loaves, especially when trying to cut thin slices. Small loaves are easier to cut thin than large loaves. Another personal preference. Standard 8-1/2x4-1/2-inch pan holds up to around 1-1/2-pounds of dough. I have a pair of Norpro pans that are just slightly smaller at 7-3/4x4-1/4-inches that works very well for 2 loaves. 7-1/2x3-1/2-inch pans - up to 1-pound of dough. I often divide the dough equally into three of these small loaves. I will also divide the dough into one 1-1/2-pound loaf and the rest for something like an 8-inch pan of dinner rolls, 6 jumbo pecan cinnamon rolls, 6 hamburger or hot dog buns. The cultured milk products (dried or liquid buttermilk, kefir, yogurt) seem to aid in the sponge. My friend, Mildred, often uses up to 24-hours, with half the time in the refrigerator, similar to what you did. A very forgiving recipe, as you've just proven. I also like to add 1/2-cup of coarsely-ground multi-grain mixture, similar to multi-grain cereal (5-grain, 7-grain, 11-grain, etc.), except I mill my own. I add it towards the end of kneading to keep the sharp bits from cutting the gluten strands. I like the "tooth" it adds to the bread. -Grainlady

1. Starter's in general (and this is just a sweet, milk-based form of starter) are very forgiving. The yeast shouldn't die because of neglect for a day or two. I'd also bake on day 11; and the type of milk is not an issue. I only use whey-based milk substitute (powdered milk) when I make an occasional batch. 2. Some helpful hints... Source: Friendship Starters with Recipes - by Jackie Gannaway - Once the starter is well established, the feeding schedule can vary a little. You may want to adjust the schedule to a calendar -- feed on the fifth, tenth, fifteenth, twentieth, twenty-fifth, and thirieth days. Ignore the thirty-first day of a month and wait until the fifth of the next month to feed again. The established starter will do fine with this slight variation. - If you know you will be away or won't be baking for a month or more, you may freeze the starter in a plastic bag for up to 6 weeks. Don't feed it before freezing. After thawing, feed as usual and wait a few days for bubbles to form. indicating the yeast action is back to normal before using the starter. - The starter may die if kept in a drafty location or if the humidity is very high. If the starter is doughy or strong yeast odor, be safe and toss it. -For a stronger starter flavor, remove starter for baking before feeding. For a milder starter flavor, remove staarter after feeding. - If you don't need any starter for baking or giving, you may have to take some out and discard it. This way you will always have a manageable amount of fresh starter. -Grainlady