Baking Bread is Easy!

“I would say to housewives, be not daunted by one failure, nor by twenty. Resolve that you will have good bread, and never cease striving after this result till you have effected it. If persons without brains can accomplish this, why cannot you?”
’Housekeeping In Old Virginia' Marion Cabell Tyree ed. (1878)


I used to have a bread maker but it was one of the things that didn't make the cut when we downsized.  I always felt the bread smelled better than in tasted and the machine was too bulky and cumbersome to take to our smaller space.  I've always been sort of intimidated about making home made bread from scratch.  All that kneading, rising, etc had me thinking it was too much trouble, too time consuming and somehow likely to fail.  I am probably one of the last people on earth to hear of the No-Knead method first brought to light by the New York Times in 2006.  But, better late than never.  I came across this recipe for no-knead crusty bread and thought it looked simple enough.

I passed the recipe along to my sister and the two of us have been baking bread like crazy ever since.  We've both done the plain version as well as some variations.  Melissa did a whole grain / whole wheat loaf, while I did a fruit and nut loaf.  I am also planning on doing a gruyere, rosemary and lemon loaf as suggested in the blog I found the recipe on.

I am somewhat amazed every time I open the oven door and find a gorgeous artisan loaf of bread waiting for me.  Not only is it incredibly gratifying, it is delicious and amazingly economical.  Ive paid up to $7 for a store-bought version of the fruit and nut bread and it is probably less than $1 for me to make it.   If you haven't already given this a go I strongly suggest you do.  If you can mix three ingredients in a bowl and leave it overnight and put the dough in the oven you can make this.  Come to think of it this would be a great kitchen project for kids (as long as an adult is there to deal with the oven).

I've become a bread baker!