Tasty, if not beautiful
I don't know where my husband comes up with some of his ideas. He somehow got it into his head that he had to make bread. Or rather, that we had to make bread.
One of the scary things about getting older is some of the things that just pop out of your mouth, like "It has been 25 years since I made bread." The first time I said such an old-person thing I really shocked myself.
But it's true. Back then I was living alone for the first time, in that apartment with no air conditioning across from Vulcan's bare backside. Back before the internets. Before VCRs, or at least before most people could afford them. Due to scheduling mixups I wound up with a lot of free time that quarter. And that's the only time I've ever made bread.
To tell you the truth, it was a lot easier than I remembered. It's also very forgiving. We had an afternoon full of recipe-misreading and recriminations, punctuated with fits of hysterical laughter.
That means another 3 cups of flour, not the original 3 cups!
You said 125°, not 115°!
That's not what I'd call kneading!
When it was done it was delicious. I gorged myself. I ate so much bread that I gave myself a stomachache.
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Updated:
Well I was a bit embarrassed to have such a fine baker as Susan see our less-than-perfect loaves, but I think she's just happy to know that folks are baking bread. Go check out one of her special projects, A Year in Bread.
Yum! Gorged yourself? I'd have done the same. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, that bread looks so good! If I could get my hands on it, I would eat it ALL!!!
ReplyDeleteHope that you have a great weekend! My plan is to get some rest!
Most days I would swear I really could live on bread alone. Well, maybe bread and cheese. Yours looks yummy!
ReplyDeleteHey, I baked bread on Tuesday. I use the Tassajara recipe for two loaves of whole wheat. Yum. Your bread looks delicious. What a nice way for you and your husband to spend the day together.
ReplyDeletemmmm....i can almost smell it.
ReplyDeleteIn the Middle Ages (in Europe, not your own personal middle ages) it was traditional to bake bread on August 1. The day was called Lammas, and it was when the first harvest of wheat was ready for use.
ReplyDeleteYour bread looks delicious! I'd have to beat my husband and daughter off to get even a slice of it around here.
ReplyDeleteI make bread often, sometimes three times a week. Only I cheat--bread machine. Your loaves look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOh, yummy!
ReplyDeleteI just bought a breadmaker I ran across on serious sale. ($65 from $130) HAD to have it.
Still reading the directions but plan on doing some serious baking next week.
We used a recipe from the Joy of Cooking book. I think we kneaded it a bit too much but like I said it's forgiving!
ReplyDeleteWe froze one loaf and thawed it yesterday -- it freezes very well. There was only one tablespoon of butter in the whole recipe so it's very low-fat.
We do have a bread machine... but it's boxed up somewhere in storage and we lack the energy to hunt for it. It's never been used!
I guess we just missed Lammas - we made this over the weekend.
That bread looks awesome. HOw fun that you and your husband share things like that. I would fall over if my husband ever suggested that we bake bread together.
ReplyDeleteThe Joy Of Cooking is just about infallible. When all else fails, we know our 20 year old copy will have whatever cooking answer we seek.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bread!
It's always great to read about somebody starting to bake bread--or getting back into baking it. We'd love to have you come bake with us over at AYearInBread.com. You can click here to read more about this fun joint blog project started by myself and two other passionate bread bakers. Anyone who loves homemade bread is invited to come bake with us. Beginners welcome!
ReplyDeleteI don't usually post blatant advertisements for other blogs in comment sections, but when it comes to bread baking, all my rules of etiquette--including portion control--go right out the window. : )
Hey I started to say something like, "Farmgirl would be so proud of us!" But then I thought well maybe not, it's not too pretty!
ReplyDeleteI did consult your 10 tips, though I think Hubby wasn't much listening to me. :) Anyway I ordered one of the books you mentioned as a surprise for him.
I've been reading the site you mentioned already too. It's really too hot to bake much now though since our AC has such trouble when it's this warm. So most of our experimenting will have to be in the fall probably.
OMG....homemade bread. Love it.
ReplyDeleteToasted, with lots and lots of apple butter.
Or plain. Right out of the oven.
YUM.
It's late, but after seeing your pix of bread - I'm headed into the kitchen to make a piece of toast. Really.
ReplyDelete