Wayne wore out our bread machine making pizza dough about 3 yrs ago. So last summer I borrowed my sister, Paula's bread machine. It was sitting on her shelf unused. When I tried to use it, the belt broke. Apparently that was a typical problem of that brand of bread machine. After going on the web to find a replacement belt, I gave up as they were no longer available. (Thank you to all manufacturers who make crap and then don't even service the crap!!) Hello landfill.
So this year I decided to borrow my tried and true friend Lorrie's bread machine (praying that the belt wouldn't break). I still had 3 boxes of bread mix from last year that I couldn't use due to the aforementioned issue. So I tried the 1st box--honey whole wheat bread. The box came with everything I needed. I thought maybe the yeast wouldn't be as cooperative being a year old, so I looked in my fridge just to see if we had any yeast. To my amazement--we had some!! Looked at the expiration date and it said 2003!!!! (So maybe Wayne stopped making pizza dough in 2003. Time flies) Needless to say I used the yeast in the box. Figured one year old wasn't as bad as 7 years old.
After 3 1/2 hours I had a 1 and 1/2 lb loaf of honey wheat bread that was about 4 inches high!! It was edible, but quite......what's the word......weighty!! One piece had to have a caloric value of about 500 calories.
Never daunted, I whipped out the 7 grain box of bread. I stopped at the store and bought some yeast (made especially for bread machines and whole wheat type bread). After 3 1/2 hours my 1 and 1/2 lb loaf of 7 grain bread stood.................... well just take a look at the picture.
Working for Panera after I retire is not going to solve my lead bread syndrome. I discovered that they don't make the bread in store. They just bake it............ I'm thinking I need some professional help.......... I think this calls for a trip to France or Italy, along with some lessons from a chef extraordinare au pain (that's french for bread for those of you who are not bilingual).
And Wayne wonders how I come up with our next set of travel plans!!! Since he doesn't read this blog, I have some time to plan the itinerary (any of you sisters free during the summer of 2012?).
I have mastered mango margaritas, so I know that a month spent in Tuscany or Nice will embue me with bread making (wine drinking) skills extraordinare!
I think I'll have a glass of wine while I ponder the possiblities.
2 comments:
Sue,
It is just cheaper and easier on all of us if you just buy Wonder bread from Price Chopper. I was wondering what the odd shaped bricks were on your patio. At least the bread had a use. Now, try to make pudding for the mortar!!
I plan to bake my brains out and use the blocks for my new Japenese rock garden out front.
So there.....
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