BREAD

..... from scratch

                                       How this......

I love used book sales

                             
                                    ....led me to this...

I picked up the novel Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks at a local used book sale.  It's a wonderfully written story of how Wynter Morrison, a 31 yr old trophy wife is devastated by the sudden and unexpected break up of her marriage and how working in a bakery begins the process of healing her heart.

The author tells her tale interspersed with bread recipes and she does this so well, it had me running to the store for yeast, unbleached white and wheat flour.  Her descriptions of yeasty aromas, the physical kneading of dough, "perfectly acceptable" rustic shapes, and warm chewy crusts had me hooked. 

She instilled a confidence with her "You don't really need a recipe to make bread.  It's mostly about proportions - one pkg yeast to six or seven cups of flour, two cups water, and a Tbsp of salt.....bread may not always turn out the way you intend it to, but it always turns out."

She gives a few special hints along the way..."cut the yeast in half for a long, slow rise to build the kind of texture and flavor that make people think you paid $5.95 for this loaf at the European Gourmet Bakery."

"Knead the salt in dead last,because salt strengthens the gluten and makes the dough fight you."

and how to "use a poolish, or sponge" when you "don't have time to wait for a starter to ripen".

Anyway, the past couple of week-ends, I've set aside some time to "create" bread.  Measuring, mixing, kneading, waiting for the rise, punching down, waiting again, and shaping the dough...all by hand.

   The combination of the wonderful aroma as it bakes and the delicious texture and taste of the finished product makes me wonder why I never did this before!?

 Here's my first ...

and this my second, from another one of her recipes

So thank you to the author for making me curious..

another example of how reading enhances our lives and opens doors.

I found this quote on the internet and share it here with you...

 "Bread is one of the most universal, ancient, and life-sustaining foods on earth with deeply human associations. Many of us have lasting childhood memories of the unmistakable aroma of freshly baked bread; it warms the body and soul like nothing else in this world. Making bread is certainly an art, but if, just once, you dare to do it yourself, in your own kitchen with your own hands, you’ll quickly realize we really are all artists at heart. It’s an amazing experience that we recommend to everyone."

it's gotta be great!