Fresh From the Oven

 One of my favorite things is pulling a fresh loaf of bread from the oven.  The smell can take over the house.  Add a steaming pot of soup or some scrambled eggs and you have a delicious meal, filled with all things good for you.

There are so many types of bread; just as many ways of cooking it; and numerous kinds of ingredients available.  You can find many blogs and cookbooks full of wonderful recipes.  I am not going to compete with those, but I love telling people some of my 'whys'.  So, a few of the reasons I enjoy baking my own bread are: I get to decide what I do (and don't!) put into it; I can choose if it is a long-fermented dough, a freshly ground loaf, or a quick biscuit; I know how fresh it is; and finally, in many cases it is cheaper, and in most cases it is healthier for me and my family.

Many homesteaders would tell you that one of the first skills you can learn anywhere you are and wherever you live at present, is bread baking.  You don't need acreage or even a yard to bake bread.  I have been a homemaker for almost 13 years and have been doing some sort of homesteading just as long.  There have been many dense and inedible loaves as well as a lot of croutons and breakfast bakes made from the mishaps.  As I continue to learn and grow in my skill, I find some recipes that I memorize easily and implement often.  There are other recipes that I continue to try and fail at, even if we can eat them in some form or fashion.  But the possibilities are literally endless, and you can find just the right balance of bread baking for you and your current needs.  

You may only need to bake one loaf per week.  Or perhaps you like rolls best for sandwiches.  Maybe your current life stage means batch baking and freezing- that is exactly what I do.  

You don't need to begin with grinding your own wheat into flour.  That can wait until you have baked a while.  Some people never grind their own wheat!  Just begin slowly.  I would suggest a high-quality organic flour- all purpose, bread flour, whole wheat, etc.  And be consistent.  Don't give up!  Turn those flops into other deliciousness- why not grind the bad loaves into breadcrumbs for meatballs and fried chicken?  Learn as you go- what worked last time?  What didn't work?  Rolls may be an easy way to begin- that is where I found the most satisfaction and reward early on.  And, if we are being honest, most of my family prefers rolls to loaf bread a majority of the time anyway.  Another fun bread is biscuits!  I am from the south and so a good biscuit with butter (real butter!) is one of the most enjoyable things on earth.

As our year begins, why not decide to let this be one of the many skills you start to learn or continue to perfect?  Let me just tell you how rewarding it is to see a beautifully risen loaf cooling on the counter.  I can also say that it is one of the rewards of homemaking to feed your family or spouse a nutrient dense meal with homemade bread being part of it.  Give a loaf as a gift.  Offer to bring a loaf to the next potluck.  You won't be sorry!

Let the bread baking begin!