And here’s why it’s worth the effort…
I made oatmeal honey bread yesterday. It was my first time making this particular bread. (The recipe is in the Tassajara Bread Book.) Thumper has always liked whatever bread I make, but he’s absolutely nuts for this one. Seeing me eating a slice just now, he came running toward me, clapping, asking for “behd! behd! Peeees?” I tore off a piece for him and he ran with it back to the window, where he’s right now very busy supervising our neighbors’ move. (Trucks, guys moving heavy stuff. Very exciting. He’s helping by shouting at them through the window. “Da! Da! Da! Beep beep!”)
I love that he’s so excited to eat something I made for him–something that took more effort than the lentil soup he also loves, the broccoli, the pasta. He’s a pretty good eater and likes my cooking. But baking bread takes special effort and time. To bake bread is to give up the reading, knitting, regrouping I usually do during his nap, so a day when I bake bread is a day without downtime. But to see how happy it makes him, it’s totally worth it.
It pleases me even more than seeing him wearing things I’ve knit for him. He tolerates the handknits, but he certainly never claps with joy when he sees them.
That said, it’s Friday and soon will be naptime, but I’m not making challah today. One day of breadmaking a week is plenty.
I use to make bread a few times a week. I love the kneading, the rising, the baking and smelling..but most of all the satisfaction of serving it to the family. I haven’t made any in a long time for the same reasons as you. It means I don’t get a break. I have to use what precious little “me” daylight time I have doing it. Hmmm…..maybe I’ll go get some started 🙂 It seems like a good day for bread. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
Posted by: Stephanie
Have you tried the “5 minute artisan bread” yet? I have the book, but haven’t–heh–had the 5 minutes. But people who are quite picky tell me it’s delicious and truly that easy.
Posted by: Amy
We’re supposed to have more snow in Boston tonight, so I bought yeast today at Whole Paycheck (along with a challah). So, do you have a challah in the freezer? 🙂
Posted by: Kathy
Funny, I was just thinking about making some bread myself, though I just got back from the store without remembering it so I have no yeast and not enough flour. Oh well, next time. Something about this post almost has smell-o-rama, though.
Posted by: Lizbon
I use to make bread a few times a week. I love the kneading, the rising, the baking and smelling..but most of all the satisfaction of serving it to the family. I haven’t made any in a long time for the same reasons as you. It means I don’t get a break. I have to use what precious little “me” daylight time I have doing it. Hmmm…..maybe I’ll go get some started 🙂 It seems like a good day for bread. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
Posted by: Stephanie
Have you tried the “5 minute artisan bread” yet? I have the book, but haven’t–heh–had the 5 minutes. But people who are quite picky tell me it’s delicious and truly that easy.
Posted by: Amy
We’re supposed to have more snow in Boston tonight, so I bought yeast today at Whole Paycheck (along with a challah). So, do you have a challah in the freezer? 🙂
Posted by: Kathy
Funny, I was just thinking about making some bread myself, though I just got back from the store without remembering it so I have no yeast and not enough flour. Oh well, next time. Something about this post almost has smell-o-rama, though.
Posted by: Lizbon
Homemade bread is the best! I’m almost 40 and days when I walk into my mother’s house to the smell of freshly baked bread make me want to clap with joy. 🙂 And I remember baking a malt bread with my mum when I was really little. We baked it in big old juice cans. Round sandwiches always seemed to taste better.
Posted by: Kim
Oh, I really miss my bread-making days, and in particular my sourdough days. I miss bread, period. I do find myself indulging in it a bit more often than it healthy for me lately, too. Sigh.
Posted by: Norma
Mmmmm. Fresh bread! Thumper has an advanced palate.
Posted by: claudia
So, why is there no pictures of said bread in the blog entry? Pictures of food grab me – I can’t stand cookbooks that don’t have full colour pictures of the finished food.
Posted by: Jo
When my son was little, if given a choice between “store bread” (usually sourdough or whole wheat, local bakery stuff) or “Daddy bread” made by The Hubby, the “Daddy bread” won every time. Good for you, giving him the best food in the world – yours!
Posted by: Kathy in San Jose
oh, yes…boys who love their mamas homemade bread, trucks, and tolerate the handknits…sigh. They grow up WAY too fast!
The Boybird still loves trucks and homemade bread now that i think about it!
xoxo
Posted by: greta
Homemade bread is the best! I’m almost 40 and days when I walk into my mother’s house to the smell of freshly baked bread make me want to clap with joy. 🙂 And I remember baking a malt bread with my mum when I was really little. We baked it in big old juice cans. Round sandwiches always seemed to taste better.
Posted by: Kim
Oh, I really miss my bread-making days, and in particular my sourdough days. I miss bread, period. I do find myself indulging in it a bit more often than it healthy for me lately, too. Sigh.
Posted by: Norma
Mmmmm. Fresh bread! Thumper has an advanced palate.
Posted by: claudia
So, why is there no pictures of said bread in the blog entry? Pictures of food grab me – I can’t stand cookbooks that don’t have full colour pictures of the finished food.
Posted by: Jo
When my son was little, if given a choice between “store bread” (usually sourdough or whole wheat, local bakery stuff) or “Daddy bread” made by The Hubby, the “Daddy bread” won every time. Good for you, giving him the best food in the world – yours!
Posted by: Kathy in San Jose
oh, yes…boys who love their mamas homemade bread, trucks, and tolerate the handknits…sigh. They grow up WAY too fast!
The Boybird still loves trucks and homemade bread now that i think about it!
xoxo
Posted by: greta
The little guy knows good stuff!
Posted by: knittripps
I love making homemade bread as well. My tiny little kitchen discourages me from doing anything in it, but my girls love when I bake, so I need to make more time for it. Thanks for reminding me of the things that are worth it! and welcome back!!
Posted by: Heather
Your post does seem to have smell-o-vision to it! I have been thinking about baking some bread too and lentil soup sounds perfect. I guess it’s off to the kitchen.
Posted by: Birgitta
yay trucks and moving!
see you guys SOON – xo, h
Posted by: heather
The Tassajara Bread Book was my mother’s bread bible, and she gave it to me because she thinks that she will turn into a house if she bakes her own bread. Having eaten that bread throughout my childhood on the treat days when she actually made it, yep, make that on a regular basis and a whole loaf could go missing, fast. Would reappear on my butt. Gua-ran-tee.
But I love that book with a passion. Excellent recipes that really work. And I’ve made a lot of bricks in my baking time, so to have a book whose recipes never fail is precious.
Challah is the easiest bread I’ve ever baked. Want to share your recipe? Do you add in any whole wheat flour? I find that lends a really beautiful taste if you replace a cup or so of the white bread flour with the wheat.
Posted by: Lee Ann
The little guy knows good stuff!
Posted by: knittripps
I love making homemade bread as well. My tiny little kitchen discourages me from doing anything in it, but my girls love when I bake, so I need to make more time for it. Thanks for reminding me of the things that are worth it! and welcome back!!
Posted by: Heather
Your post does seem to have smell-o-vision to it! I have been thinking about baking some bread too and lentil soup sounds perfect. I guess it’s off to the kitchen.
Posted by: Birgitta
yay trucks and moving!
see you guys SOON – xo, h
Posted by: heather
The Tassajara Bread Book was my mother’s bread bible, and she gave it to me because she thinks that she will turn into a house if she bakes her own bread. Having eaten that bread throughout my childhood on the treat days when she actually made it, yep, make that on a regular basis and a whole loaf could go missing, fast. Would reappear on my butt. Gua-ran-tee.
But I love that book with a passion. Excellent recipes that really work. And I’ve made a lot of bricks in my baking time, so to have a book whose recipes never fail is precious.
Challah is the easiest bread I’ve ever baked. Want to share your recipe? Do you add in any whole wheat flour? I find that lends a really beautiful taste if you replace a cup or so of the white bread flour with the wheat.
Posted by: Lee Ann
Hi,
re: the 2/24/08 post
if you keep up to date about the boys and keep the boys up to date about each other they will feel like old friends when they meet.
my mom talked about a college friend of her for 20 years. we started writing to each other, even because we felt we knew each other well enough, when we finally met it was like we had known each other for ever, we were old friends by then.
–i guess i’m saying they can kind of grow up together if the moms stay close.
I just found your site today–very cool.
Posted by: addie
Hi,
re: the 2/24/08 post
if you keep up to date about the boys and keep the boys up to date about each other they will feel like old friends when they meet.
my mom talked about a college friend of her for 20 years. we started writing to each other, even because we felt we knew each other well enough, when we finally met it was like we had known each other for ever, we were old friends by then.
–i guess i’m saying they can kind of grow up together if the moms stay close.
I just found your site today–very cool.
Posted by: addie