Trial #1: I make bread (hopefully)

[trystinn]

I've chosen Focaccia as my first attempt because it does not require starter, which I don't have because I just bought the yeast (along with $60 of its favorite baking companions) this afternoon - I am, however, making starter tonight so I can attempt rustic breadmaking on Sunday and Monday. (Details to follow)

Observations
#1: Recipes for bread are suprisingly and shockingly short on details.

#2: There is now more flour in my hair than in the mixer.

#3: Husband was sufficiently wary enough to offer to go pick up dinner from a restaurant - thereby, in a singular master stroke, making himself scarce during this amateur attempt at breadmaking while getting to be the hero when he arrives home with hot food that I have no responsibility or requirement to cook.

#4: The smell of yeast "curing" has got to be the strangest smell on earth, one that not even the bassethound will beg for a taste of.

#5: "Lightly flour surface" is a bald-faced lie. "Massively flour surface" is of considerably more use, exponentially.

#6: There is now more flour on my clothes than in my hair (see #2).

#7: "Room temperature" is too subjective a term to be of any use.

#8: Waiting for yeast to "cure" is almost as boring a task as waiting for dough to rise, and only manages to be a tad bit more interesting because of the science involved in creating new life; albeit yeast-life.

#9: Two kitchen timers are barely enough for this attempt.

#10: "Bread starter" is surprisingly bizarre enough to warrant the need for comparison pictures for grading the accuracy of one's attention to detail.

#11: Friends you have not heard from in months will call you to chat and catch up while you are trying to bake bread.

#12: Baking bread by hand is sufficiently interesting an experience that truly, it should be an assignment for 1st degrees at Lammas. And for all I know, will be.

Update to come when focaccia comes steaming out of the oven. Stay tuned.


"Gorgeous bread, the topping is rosemary, sage and kosher salt:



Willing Volunteers:



And, yes, it tastes FABULOUS"

Comments

Bread making as homework..

[wastedmouthfull.livejournal.com]

Hmmm ive made bread, Annas made Bread, Christies made bread, so has you now, so NO homework, unless you want to see the guys do it i say wine and laughter should be fun that day.
Or if you realy want to test your skills make Pita, or Tortillas ooh or even Indian flat bread.
Done it been there, even made homemade scones.... Bite your tongue woman. :) lol

Re: Bread making as homework..

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Ye Gods, woman, I've made tortillas before - sort of a requirement living in Arizona. You figure you have to try it at least once, then you realize why having them made by large machines is vastly preferable.

I've made scones and muffins, bread in a breadmaker, etc. Just wanted to try something harder, as I'm no baker. Growth is fun, so is kitchen experiments.

Big zen hugs, hon.