The comforting aroma of freshly baked bread

To me, nothing smells like home more than bread that’s just been pulled out of the oven.   At a party last week I brought up the topic of bread and the preservatives that the bakeries use that keeps the bread fresh for nearly a week.  I asked how many of them made their own bread.  With one exception they all just stared back as if I was from a different planet.

One woman said that her life was hectic enough without having make bread too.  She told me later that she felt I was attacking her for not being a good mother because she served her kids bread with perservatives in it.  Lordy, that’s not what I meant at all.  I hate the idea of all the preservatives in prepared food.  I can’t believe that they’re good for us.

With automatic bread makers priced so nearly everyone can afford one, I’m really surprised that most people don’t bake their own bread. 5 minutes and the work is done.  If you use scales to weigh your water and flour there’s no guessing.  The possibilities are huge as to what sorts of bread you can make.  Choose a basic recipe and add different things to make it your own.  Add onion, or herbs or dried fruit or seeds — they’re all yummy and healthy.

I’m not normally a healthy fantatic – I like orgasmic food, but bread is a standout healthy item for me.  I love nice grain bread with a softish crust — it makes a great sandwich. At the moment pistachio dukkah is my favorite but probably like you, my favorites change with the wind.

For those people who don’t own an automatic bread maker, nothing could be easier than no-knead bread. I love this bread for bruschetta or dipped in olive oil and a good syrupy balsamic vinegar and then dipped in dukkah. At the moment pistachio dukkah is my favorite but probably like you, my favorites change with the wind. I first heard about no-knead bread on the net and then found this video by the New York Times. If you haven’t made no-knead bread, try it, even if you do have a bread machine. It’s mildly sour, super crusty and one of the best loaves of bread. You can even make this for company and know it’s going to look and taste great. Here’s the video.