What goes into the making of a champion baker? Minnesotan Solveig Tofte followed these steps.
Solveig Tofte, 36, the head baker at Turtle Bread Co. in Minneapolis, competes this month in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in -- where else? -- Paris. How did a girl from a small town in northern Minnesota become a world-class baker, earning her way into the World Cup of bread? Here's the recipe.
SOLVEIG TOFTE, EN CROUTE
Makes 1 fine baker.
Ingredients
• 1 pair of Norwegian immigrant great-grandparents
• 10 burn scars on arms
• 12 bandannas
• 100 cookbooks
• 1 child (See note below)
• 3 Pillsbury Doughboy dolls
•1 metric conversion chart
• 20,000 miles
• 6,000 baguettes
• 4,969 miles
• Cornmeal for dusting
Note: Also, 1 husband.
Directions
• Set alarm clock for 4 a.m.
• Take Norwegian immigrant great-grandparents and place them in a wooded area in northern Minnesota. Have them found a town. Name it Tofte. Set aside for three generations.
• When an adventurous great-granddaughter graduates from high school, have her immediately move to California. If she begins to work in sales and marketing with a dot.com company, toss out and start over.
• In 1996, place her in job as a production baker at Sconehenge in Berkeley, Calif., adding the first of the burn scars, one at a time. Tie on one bandanna, reserving the others for later use. • Transfer baker to California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Gently fold in husband. Build shelves for up to 100 cookbooks. Study until firmly grounded.
• In 2001, return baker to Minneapolis, dust with cornmeal and slide into job at Turtle Bread Co. Continue to mix in burns and bandannas. Over the course of nine months, add a baby. At regular intervals, acquire three Pillsbury Doughboy dolls.
• In 2007, place on the Bread Bakers Guild of America's Team USA. Prepare to compete in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie held every three years in Paris. Study metric conversion chart for baking internationally. Begin series of flights to fellow team members' bakeries to practice, until 20,000 miles are achieved.
• With floured hands, make one baguette that weighs precisely 250 grams. Repeat 5, 999 times until perfect. Watch carefully to avoid burning out. Also, master four other specialty breads.
• As competition approaches, glaze with thoughts of the 4,969 miles between Tofte and Paris.
On Sunday, mix and shape dough for 230 loaves.
• Bake until done.
Special report: Go behind Minnesota's pro-athlete curtain to see how the best athletes in our state get ready for their biggest moment: gameday.
