Throughout January, I focused on how to make yummy, comforting soups and stews. Nothing goes better with soups and stews than a yummy, crusty bit of bread to sop up all of the leftover broth or gravy. So for February, I’m focusing on how to make bread.
Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods. For millennia, cultures have ground starches into flours, mixed them with water and other ingredients, and cooked them to create different types of bread. From pita to pizza, leavened or unleavened, baguettes to the sliced white bread that we all grew up with, bread is something that we can all relate to and I adore all of the effort that goes into creating that -beautiful, crusty loaf of sourdough bread that you can get at your corner bakery.
My mission here, then, is to take a couple of steps backwards. Most of us have access to that that lovely loaf anytime, but let’s take a few extra minutes every week or so to see if we can’t do a little better. Let’s remember our grandparents, our history, and show our kids that taking that little bit of extra time is worth it. Let’s show them that food isn’t supposed to come ready-to-eat in plastic baggies, but that someone has to make it.
Mind you, I am not a professional baker, so I’m not getting into a load of fancy breads that you could never make at home. I’m talking about breads that are fairly simple to make and that range a variety of cuisines and meal types. We’re looking at corn tortillas, pizza dough, quick breads, even a few surprises for Mardi Gras. I’ll even be getting the kids involved so that they know where bread comes from and what it’s supposed to look and feel like when you make it from scratch.
I hope that you enjoy the effort and make it a point to try a few of these at your own home!
Throughout February, I’m focused on making breads, both sweet and savory. Did you grow up making bread at home? What is your favorite type of bread? Leave a comment and share your story!
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