Wild Yeast

Notes from my kitchen, in which I bake bread and raise a few other matters

Brotform.com Giveaway

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Got brotforms?

These coiled cane proofing baskets turn ordinary loaves into affairs of crusty gorgeousness. You can read more about their use and care here.

I’ve discovered that Brotform.com is a wonderful source for brotforms. Not only do their prices beat all others I’ve found by quite a bit, but my order arrived in record time and I did not feel gouged on the shipping charges. They offer a variety of sizes in round, oval, and oblong shapes.

All of this is, of course, meant to console and inform you in case you are not the lucky winner of the two brotforms — 9″ round and 8.5″ oval — that the very nice people at Brotform.com will send to a randomly-drawn commenter on this post, provided said commenter has a US shipping address.

So go on and comment it up before 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, July 9. Please make it interesting (but hey, no pressure!).

CommentsLeave a comment

  3. Oh, I would LOVE to have some of those baskets! Especially the oval ones. The round ones I can improvise with cheap baskets, but there aren’t many basket in that oval shape. 😛 Even if I don’t get to win (but pleeeeeeeeeeeeease pick me, I promise to bake up a storm and post the results on my Chinese blog to showcase the results and the baskets themselves), I will buy some of those. I wonder for an one lb loaf, what size of brotformen basket would be good? How about a 2 lb loaf?

  4. since we’re just past the 4th, perhaps this quote would be appropriate:

    We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Bread Breaking, preferably using a brotform, if one were so lucky as to win one…

  5. Yes, yes, I desperately want one of these! I want my rustic breads to have those cool stripes! Pick me! Pick me!

  6. Thanks very much for the suggestion Susan,
    Great company, I ordered 6 yesterday (not even 18 hours ago) and they have already shipped the order! Months and months I have been looking for a company that will post orders to International destinations, very few do – and even fewer to Pakistan – and shipping costs re too high, this was very reasonable, very much appreciated.
    Stefan

  9. I’m always trying to think up a new way to make my loaves more attractive.

  10. It looks great! I was thinking of getting a proofing basket, and it seems like brotform is the one I should get. But I’ll wait for now to see if I win!

  12. hoho … it’s always incredible how many comments you get on these things!
    Love the brotforms! I have one and really am looking for some different sizes.
    Really find the marks romantic as well as artistic. Seem to make any loaf special.

  13. I’ve wanted one of these for soooo long. Got my fingers crossed. Thanks Susan!

  14. I have am working a new job as a baker in a small restarant and we have been talking about using these to raise our breads in it. I would love to have one at home to try it out.

  16. I love making my round loaves just by hand, ready to put on the quarry tiles that pass for stones in my oven, and am not likely to quit doing that… But, a couple of brotforms as part of my equipment would probably tempt me to do otherwise. Good idea! Thanks for offering them.

  17. Hi Susan! Thank you so much about the brotform.com-link! I’m a artisan baker from Finland and have been looking for these brotfors for years – (in Finland most of the bakers don’t even know what they are – we have so few home bakers – sad but true. Now need to “go” shopping to that page… 😀
    And thank you for this lovely blog and the weekly yeastspotting event, I have been reading them from the beginning – always with a great pleasure! Have a lovely and sunny summer!
    Yours, Celina

  18. A brotform would help take my amateur loaves to the next level – I hope I win!

  19. I have been interested in bread baking and these would certainly light the fire for me!

  21. WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW

    OOOOHHHHHH OOOOOOHHHHHH OOOOOOHHHHHH

    Ok what else can I say other than how impressive would I be if I served the family bread that looked as beautiful as those coming out of that proofing bowl. I always tell my kids that the food I serve is with love and that is why it tastes so good.
    Man they would think I had put my whole heart into a bread that beautiful

  24. I am not very good at being interesting under pressure, so I will just be honest (that’s kind of interesting, right?) I really want these. I am a complete tight wad who has been salivating over the want of some brotforms so I can make some (more) amazing bread, and I have not let myself spend the cash yet. Crossing my fingers on this one! Might have to cave if I don’t win. 🙂

  25. Thanks for the info on Brotform.com. Those prices are great and the brotforms look beautiful. I hope I win, but if not, at least I’ve found an affordable source for them now thanks to your blogpost.

  26. 125 comments already, and yet I take the chance anyway. Crazy? Perhaps. But any chance at free awesome gadgets is good in my book.

    How many of these you must have, Susan! Mmm, to have a collection of Brotforms…

  27. I’d love to have these. Why? Because a colander with a coiled length of thin rope inside, covered with a kitchen towel, is just too much work to prepare every time!

  29. Hi
    I’ve wanted one of these for a long time. I bake most of our bread (not so much during summer months), mostly sourdough, and hesitated to make the purchase of the Brotforme basket because of the price $$. I’d love to win one! Thanks for providing this give-aw-way. Steph

  30. I would love to be the first one in South Africa to have one of these (not available here, unfortunately) and be able to ‘turn oridinary loaves into affairs of crusty gorgeousness’!! Thanks for a wonderful blog.

  31. Great giveaway! Would love one of those (or 2) – but the website you reference has great prices too so may buy one if I don’t win – thanks for the chance!

  32. Agreed with Kerri above. It’d be awesome to win your giveaway, but even if not I’ve been looking for an excuse to buy one these for a while – so why not now?

  34. What an amazing invention with a ridiculous name. My housemate uses one to great effect, and it would be very exciting to get to try one out, too. Thanks!

  35. I used these extensively when I baked professionally. They make a beautiful loaf that always impresses. I would love to have some for my home baking.
    Lex

  36. I love these. My favourite local baker has enough of these for about half his daily production, and guess which half sells out first every day!

  37. Now those look so amazing! Do I have one NOPE. Would I like one yes! What would I do with one. Try and make amazing loafs of bread, and you know I will.

  38. Although I’ve been baking bread since I was in grade school, about 50 years ago, I’ve never tried using a brotform or basket for proofing my loaves. I guess I ought to try this technique. Thanks for such a terrific blog!

  39. There once was a baker named Norm,
    Who wanted to have a brotform.
    He tried real hard to win it,
    So he’d put batter in it,
    And eat the fresh bread while still warm.

  40. Just found your web site and what a great one I must say. I’ve been making bread since in college. My husband could eat just bread and ice tea for a meal. I have made lots and different kinds of bread but only used loaf pans and sheet pans.

  42. I’ve always claimed (sour-grapes) that what matters is the inside, not so much the outside, but I’ve also always been jealous of bakers who can get their breads to look so nice.

    Keep meaning to make my own, but never seem to start.

  43. oooh, I have been wanting one of these. If I don’t win I think I will have to buy one anyway. thanks!

  44. I am just starting into the breadmaking and this would be great. Thanks for the opportunity.

  47. I fondled brotforms at Sur La Table last weekend but just couldn’t bring myself to pay that much. So, yes! I would love to win this contest and try making some beautiful artisan loaves!

  48. I used to have a brotform that I LOVED but one day I found little tiny bugs on it and I was so disgusted I immediately threw it out. How special it would be to win a new one! My sourdough is ready to go!!!

  49. I’ve been wanting to try those, need to get back to baking and trying some new recipes.

  50. My bread still rises in an old tupperware container from my baby shower 10 years ago. I think it is time to move on. These are beautiful. Thanks for the opportunity.

  51. I’ve been studying your website to try and get a handle on sourdough starter. I would really like to keep one going at my home. With an Italian husband, carbo-loading daughter, and the price of good artisan bread… I gotta do SOMETHING! Thanks for the chance to win!

  53. Brotform.com? For heaven’s sake – I never cease to be amazed at what you find in terms of bread baking resources. Now I’m going to go skulk on their website!

  54. I’ve been considering one for awhile now! Very reasonable prices on the site, too (incase I’m not the winner……)

  55. I’d love a brotform, and would love to win one! It would add another dimension to my bread baking.

  58. Perhaps these will be the answer to better bread baking? I suspect not – but they certainly couldn’t hurt! Thanks for the chance.

  59. That is one stunningly beautiful loaf of bread in the picture. I’d like to make bread like that. . . Hehehhehe. But, oddly enough. . .I don’t have a brotform. . . (grin)

  60. Does a beautiful, tasty loaf of bread come with the brotform too? I would love to be the lucky winner of this giveaway!

  61. Me thinks a brotform is the only thing holding me back from baking beautiful farm loafs, must tell Santa about these in case I don’t win one!

  63. I really think I’m due an upgrade from my 99-cent Chinese grocery colanders. Would love to win!

  64. I must enter…. can’t .. help.. . myself . .. …

    Winning a brotform might just give me the courage to start nurturing my very own batch of wild yeast! So far I’ve stuck to your non-sourdough recipes – most of which have been added to my standard repertoire (much appreciated). This might be the push I need to graduate and join the grown-ups in the real world of breads.

  67. Based on your dimensions of the Brotform, I have just enough room in my galley to store them, and I can think of nothing better than a beautiful loaf of bread and some cheese along with a glass of wine while watching the sunset each evening.

  68. I’m intrigued by this form. Do you have to use a special bread recipe? I have a vision of ME dumping the raised bread out and it goes flat?

  69. I’ve never used one of these, but I’d love to try it. Boldly baking where – well, I – have never baked before!

  70. these are so cool! i’ve never heard of such a thing. i have yet to venture out of baking bread in my dutch oven. this is a good excuse to try something new!

  71. A friend Gill just sent me a link to this blog – great blog it is, too, and wouldn’t it be excellent to win a brotform or two!

    Odette in AZ

  73. I’m new to bread and could really use one of these to keep my bread a little more aesthetically pleasing

  74. Newlywed baker…. couldn’t figure out where to register for brotforms! I’ve loved them since i lived in germany and used to watch bakers flip out countless proofed loaves for baking…. a nice image to imagine being recreated in my kitchen!

  77. Thank you for the chance to win a brotform – my sourdough starter is happily bubbling away, hoping for the chance to be as pretty as it is tasty!

  79. OK…I have to enter because I would simply love these so i don’t have to keep proofing in a colander.

  80. really beautiful artistic forms, I luv them so much, takes bread sculpture to another level. thanks for the post.

  81. Oooooooh. I’ve always wanted one of those!

    Great give-away!

    And thanks for the nice comments on my blog.

  82. I’m just starting out at bread baking, and I’d love the help these would provide.

  83. Wow, a lot of people are lusting after these Brotforms. Add me to the list, I would love to win one of these.

  84. I would love, love, love a brotform. What more can I say?!? Thanks for sponsoring this great giveaway. 🙂

  86. I want that BROTform in the WURST way! I am so afraid of moving the bread from a form to the bake sheet. Maybe this would CURE me. OK bratwurst is not cured, but…

  87. I’m a wife in a tiny apartment with little money: anything free (and useful) is like the best un-Birthday ever. If I win I’ll donate my first loaves to friends (suckers) until I perfect my baking. Thanks for the chance to win!

  90. The sad truth is, making bread scares me. I love to cook, but my mom, brother, and sister in law have the corner on good tasting and looking bread. Oh, so have a brotform to have a least the prettiest bread while I work on getting the fabulous tasting part down.

  92. What a generous thing for Brotform to do. I would love to have one to experiment with. And thank you, Susan, for your inspiration (not to mention your beautiful photography).

  93. I love baking bread, it would be so fantastic to try this using this form, and impress my German friend. Thanks!

  94. those brotforms would be just the thing to take my normally boring-looking loaves to the next level. what a great giveaway!

  95. Count me in. I’ve tried improvising brotforms a number of ways (cereal bowls with towels in them, plastic hamburger+fries baskets, etc) and nothing seems to work too well. I’d love to have some real ones.

  96. I bake quite a bit of bread but have never used a brotform, if chosed I promise to use it faithfully.

  97. I own four plastic brotforms in different sizes, but haven’t used them as much as I thought I would because the SD bread that I make is so slack that I can hardly make out the pattern when unmolded. However, I have wondered if using a cane brotform would imprint a stronger pattern.

    –Pamela

  98. Oh, I would love to win a Brotform. I’m pretty new to baking bread and Brotforms make such a beautiful loaf of bread. By the way, I love this blog with so many beautiful photos for inspiration. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I win. Thank you.
    Stella

  99. I’ve always wanted a brotform but could never find a good source for them . . . Thanks for offering this giveaway and I’d love to win them! 🙂

  100. OOH OOH OOH! A brotform for my sourdough. I have three starters – one I made from a Sunset Magazine recipe years ago, one given to me by a friend whose father got it from someone else (heaven knows how old it is) and one from my sister’s friend’s father who also baked. Good luck to me!

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