Baking Bread

So I have this (relatively) new wild hair about the food we eat, where it comes from, what it ate, it's nutritive content, etc.

So I've started making our bread.

I see you rolling your eyes.

Bread is a big deal to me a) because I love it so much and b) because the stuff you buy at the store is basically empty calories.  The flour they use is stripped of most of it's nutrients when the germ and the bran are removed so that the finest, lightest, whitest flour can be ground.  Not to mention the fact that removing these helps extend bread's shelf life.  And there are all the other preservative ingredients that we just don't really need. And since I love it so much... and want to eat it so much... I want to be able to control what we are eating.

Bread in it's most basic form is just flour, water, salt and yeast. (I use a combo of about 60% whole wheat flour that has been ground with the germ and the bran, and 40% white flour.) I use a recipe that uses these plus a little olive oil, which makes a more supple, tender loaf.

And you know what?  I've enjoyed myself.  And it tastes so good!




(Let's face it, girls who are/were stationed in Germany, that loaf at the commissary doesn't taste anything like the bread from the bakerei down the street!)