Breaking Bread – Artisan Style

I made bread! I made bread!

Why am I so excited you ask? I’m not a baker. Definitely not.  I tend to have very little patience for baking. Too much measuring this, too much measuring that. And you can’t taste the darn thing until it’s cooked! By that time if it’s not good it’s too late.  I much prefer adding a pinch of this, adding pinch of that, a little taste here, a little taste there – a pinch more of this, a pinch more of that. Get my drift?

But I decided as the weather cools down that I really wanted to experiment with baking breads. I mean what’s better than the smell of fresh baked bread – well I mean other than eating fresh baked bread? Not much.

You know, I feel bad for all those people who think they shouldn’t eat bread. Man are they missing out. I guess they don’t realize that you can have your bread and eat it too. I mean bread or rather carbs is not the enemy. In fact, carbohydrates are a very important nutrient. What makes them so important? Well, its the body’s number one source of energy. But not all carbs are created equal – choosing unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, fruits and vegetables , beans  and legumes are your best bet. And yes, carbs are even important if you’re a diabetic.

So okay, I get it. People lose weight on a low-carb diet. But you know why? Anytime you decrease your intake of something you’re also eating fewer calories. You know what eating fewer calories means? Yup, weight loss. Seriously. I don’t make this stuff up.  And let’s be honest, it’s not realistic to live your life limiting carbs. In fact, there are some potential short and long term health implications that are pretty scary.

Okay, enough of that – back to my bread. Now I still would not consider myself a baker but I’m pretty proud of my bread. It’s crunchy on the outside and and slightly chewy on the inside. In fact, I think it’s a good dunking bread – looks like there may be some soup in my future.

Have you ever baked your own bread?