Thursday, March 10, 2011

Fresh Bread

"Bread is the warmest, kindest of all words. Write it always

 with a capital letter, like your own name."

from a cafĂ© sign 


Hi
My name is Evylee
My mommy, daddy, baby brother, and I live with Gammie and Potts.

This week, my mommy is being trained for a new job.
Gammie is taking care of me.

Today we decided to make bread.


At first I didn't want to touch the sticky dough (I don't like getting my hands dirty), but Gammie showed me that it was fun -- kind of like playing with play dough.


I shaped it, and put it into my own little pan.
We waited and waited for it to get bigger.


Ethan had fun making lots of noise with the pots and pans!



I cried a little when it was time to put it into the oven. I wasn't sure what would happen, but before long, it was all finished and I had my very own little loaf.

"The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly
 flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence
and delight."
M. F. K. Fisher (1908-1992)





Gammie sliced it for me and I ate it for lunch! YMMMM!


"If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens."
Robert Browning



Whole Wheat Bread
5 1/2 C. very warm water
1 1/2 T. salt
1/2 C. oil
3 T. dry yeast
1/2 cup honey or brown sugar
12 – 14 cups whole wheat flour
or a combination of wheat and white flour 
Mill 10 cups of wheat. Combine water, honey, oil, yeast, salt in mixing bowl.  Add 8 cups of flour.  Mix ingredients.   Let yeast proof for 10 minutes.
Slowly add 4 – 6 cups of flour until dough begins to pull away from the side of the mixing bowl.  Knead for 10 minutes.  
Oil hands.  Remove dough from mixer and place dough on oiled surface.  Divide dough into loaf-size portions, and shape into loaves.  Place loaves in greased pans.  Oil top of loaves for a soft crust.  Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until double (approx. 25-45 minutes, depending on the strength of the yeast.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 – 50 minutes.  Remove bread from pans and put on wire rack to cool.                       
Serve with butter and honey while still warm.



I wish!