BREAD baking

[withm]

I have succumbed to Artisan Bread. I had been on the waiting list at the library since this thread started and it was finally my turn for the book. I can see already I will have to buy it.

I cut the recipe in half - thinking I am only 1 person, and really don't need to have lots of good tasting bread around all the time. I made the dough Wed evening, intending to bake the first loaf Thurs - unfortunatley Mother Nature had other ideas (see November Nor'easter thread for those gory details). So I finally pinched off 1/2 of my dough from the fridge - it's a small loaf, about 3/4 lb but that's OK. Not owning a pizza peel and baking stone I opted for the Dutch Oven method. I cooked it covered in the Dutch oven for 20 minutes, but it was not brown yet, so gave it another 10 minutes and it looked pretty good so I took it out. Possibly it could have had a few more minutes but it's pretty tasty.

I can see that it will be good to have a full sized batch of this stuff in the fridge when I have my shoulder surgery next week. My sister and brother in law will be coming to stay with me then and it will be wonderful to have homemade bread so readily available. Even my sister will be able to do this and she is not so much of a cook.