last week a small miracle happened and that small miracle, was i made bread. now for some that may not count as a miracle but for me it does. i would go as far as to say, it goes alongside the miracle of learning to crochet. that's how marvelous last week's little miracle was to me
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| a little loaf of white crusty goodness |
i think i lived in fear of making bread, i never really understood how you did it, just presumed it was a bit of a faff and took up time and lots of kneading and oh, so many other things i put in the way of attempting to make a little loaf of white crusty goodness.
however times are 'a changing' around this here mossy shed, and after years of bumbling through my kitchen seeing things as a bit of a chore, i now have to reassess how and what i spend my time on. finally, after what seems like yonks, i have knowledge as to what has caused me chronic health symptoms for quite the while. and in turn, (alongside of other things), what i stick into my aging bod is of the utmost importance. i think it always has been, i was just in denial. so label reading has become my new hobby at the grocery store and homemade 'i know what i put in it, so i know what i will get out of it' cooking is the order of the day.
(and i confess, this actually takes up most of my day these days, i have high hopes this will become less so the more knowledgeable i become but for now, it is what it is)
fortunately a friend of mine told me of a recipe she had found for easy peasy bread making. "easy peasy breadmaking" were the key words to make me sit up and take note. after i had sat up, made a few notes, i finished it up with a rallying pep talk to myself...
and like so many things when we take the time, set it aside and use it wisely to learn something new, we are left with such an overwhelming sense of achievement that really cannot be equaled to anything else i know. was i fearful my little loaf would not play fair with me and end up like a brick? yes i was. however i cast Mr Doubter aside and instead, saw my little loaf of bread as something handmade and immediately my little cogs switched to a different gear, a gear that said "handmade! easy peasy! you're in your element, Tif. you can do it!"
and so i did...
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| not a brick insight... |
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| 2 miracles made for each other, homemade soup and homemade bread |
and if indeed you would like to also try your crafty hand at a little loaf of white crusty goodness so easy peasy you will wish to make one each and every day, then here is where you will find all the info and brilliant step by step photos.
and just a footynote, because a footynote does need to be added:
my first attempt (yes, i have dared to make 2 just to test it was not a one off miracle) i added a tad more than the 1 1/2 cups of water in the recipe. to start with, a mild panic arose when i looked at the soggy wet contents in my bowl but i just covered it up with cling film and allowed it to rest on the side as per instructions and continued as if nothing had happened. well here's the thing, it came out just peachy perfect and in fact, having cooked the 2nd loaf as per instructions i've come to the conclusion i prefer it with a bit more water in the mix.