My gram always baked and taught me her specialties, including cakes, pies and bread. In comparison to yellow cake with chocolate frosting or fresh bread with butter, I thought cooking was boring.
After I married, my husband, who loves to cook, usually did most of the meals. We took an OASIS cooking class a couple of years ago, and it inspired me to expand my own cooking. Now with the the hours my husband works, I have actually taken over most of the cooking. I've found that I actually enjoy preparing meals, and experimenting with spices. And I've come back to baking bread.
I can spend an entire day in the kitchen just to create a mouth-watering loaf of French bread.
The careful selection of the ingredients and the kneading of the dough are moments that I savor. When the loaves have risen and the oven has warmed the kitchen, only then are the pale dough loaves slid carefully into the heat. Within minutes, the aroma of baking fills every nook and cranny of my home.By the time the timer starts to buzz, my husband and I are impatiently waiting for a taste of the hot, crunchy French bread. Removing the loaves from the oven, I proudly present my artistry to an appreciative audience.
The most time consuming part of bread baking is the time needed for the dough to rise. Depending on the type of bread, there is usually an hour or two of rising between the kneading and the punching down of the raised dough. It is fascinating to watch the mixture of flour, water, and yeast turn into a ball of light, airy dough.
Simple bread recipes need only a few ingredients to make a mouth-watering loaf that can complement stew, spaghetti or just be enjoyed with a little butter. If you do not have the time to make bread from scratch, you can still fill your home with the delicious aroma of baking bread. There are numerous ready-to-bake breads at the grocery store that allow you to enjoy baking the quick and easy way.
Baking bread is a relaxing hobby and can help you unwind. Whether you bake from scratch or use prepared products, nothing tastes better than bread baked fresh from the oven.
