Breadmakers

[smilingcat]

Well, couldn't talk my husband out of the bread maker. It arrived today and he is now reading the book that came with it.

My husband is NOT one to help clean up the kitchen, he has only done dishes a few times in the 26 years we have been married.

Since I know that he will make a mess using the bread maker and won't even think about cleaning it, do I just leave it on the counter and see if he cleans it? Should I be the good wife and clean up after him anyway, even if I'm not going to eat the bread?

I don't want to start an argument but I don't want to be his mother either and pick up after him all the time.

Maybe he'll be slightly happier if you at least tried his machine bread. And in return ask him if he'll clean up the mess. If he doesn't clean maybe you should go ahead and clean it. THEN PUT IT AWAY WHERE HE CAN'T FIND IT. May cause rift but hopefully he gets the message.

Really sorry to hear about your angst. One should always clean after your own mess.

Bar-B-Q was another real sore spot when I was married. GRRRR!!!! We won't go there and get me started

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

SmilingCat- gorgeous!!!!!! Oooooohhhh....
When the heck is my book getting here?! DAMN that Media Mail!

[deedolce]

OMG, fresh bread :drool: ~ women after my own heart! As if cycling too, weren't enough! lol.

I have a bread machine in my classroom, believe it or not, but it's the Republic of Davis, so...it's wonderful to smell the bread and makes the day go better, as many of my moods are regulated by my stomach. Doesn't make a huge mess. You throw stuff in the removable 'bucket' and hit a button.

Now I've gotta make bread! I tried the Artisan bread once, but the pot I bought had a plastic handle.... I need to just remove it, but haven't yet. Maybe I will tonight, I'm inspired by this thread!

GLC1968, you're living one of my fantasies! I'm still in suburbia, but I do have the vegetable garden, and the chickens.

Edit: Ha! Making my first recipe of artisan bread! It's now in the fridge...can't wait to try it out tomorrow. But it's 1:30am, so off to bed!!

[tulip]

Right now, right out of the oven, butter, apricot preserves...mmmm

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Edit: Ha! Making my first recipe of artisan bread! It's now in the fridge...can't wait to try it out tomorrow. But it's 1:30am, so off to bed!!

We want to know how it comes out!

I made a loaf of 'regular' kneaded yeast bread last night- came out pretty good.
We had it for dinner- fresh from the oven with butter, and navel oranges. That's it- just bread and oranges and tea for dinner last night! It was like a nice picnic!

Tulip- which recipe is that?

[tulip]

It's a variation of a recipe that is an adaptation of a recipe from Artisan Bread in 5 minutes...I got it from the NYT. I substituted some whole wheat flour for some of the white flour. It's soooo good. I make small loaves because it's just for me, and I wouldn't put it past myself to eat a whole regular-sized loaf all by myself. This one will be gone with tonight's soup.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok I think I am getting this Artisan bread technique a little better now that I have the book.
My dough batch came out better this time, more elastic, and I understood how to 'cloak the loaf' now.

Look how pretty my simple boule came out this time!




If I can coax it to puff up a bit more with more bubbles inside the loaf, it'll then be perfect. But it was pretty good, nice and chewy and moist but with a crisp crust.
We ate half of it with chicken soup for dinner just now, and DH said he just LOVED it.

This afternoon while my car was getting fixed we went to a couple of good kitchen shops and I bought a few kitchen goodies to help with bread baking...a new bread knife, parchment paper, a peel, dough cutter, some new cutting boards, etc. It's a pleasure to cook when you have the right tools.

[Tuckervill]

That is one beautiful loaf!

I've been slacking. I'd better get back to it.

Karen

[deedolce]

Wow, that boule is gorgeous!! Looks like it came from a bread book or food magazine!

I'm sooo hooked on this bread, Lisa! I don't think I'll ever go back to the old recipes I've been doing for decades! This is my 2nd batch as the first one turned into 3 mini loaves, now eaten with gusto by my household. This is still the basic recipe, except I changed out 1 cup of Seminole flour and added a sprinkling of brown sugar. I also do less salt, and coated it with olive oil than sprinkled it with Parmesan cheese and sea salt. Yummers! I know I HAVE to get the book soon...as for now, I'm collecting ideas from their site. Seriously, this is the best bread EVER! So easy, it's pure genius!