Bread - The Staff of Life

Beautiful Errors


Writers are always looking for markets. We're told we should read the publications we'd like to submit our work to and I take that to heart. Trouble is, I don't have the money to subscribe to every one of them. But when hubby asked me to ride along with him to Tractor Supply, his favorite store in the whole wide world, I perked up. I knew they carried a magazine called Grit, a down home mid-western publication, and I'd grab one to get an idea of the magazine's editorial slant.

I knew this wasn't going to be a trip where we were in the store long. Hubby was only exchanging a pair of jeans and didn't need much else. So I scooted over to the magazine rack and there it was - a shining copy of Grit. I grabbed it and went to the checkout where he was finishing up the exchange. I plopped the magazine on the counter and paid for it. I was a little surprised that it cost almost seven dollars, but thought it would be worth it if I could sell them something.

About half way home I pulled the magazine from the bag only to discover that this wasn't the regular magazine at all, but a special issue dedicated solely to bread. Aghh! I was so annoyed. When we got home I threw the thing on the end table in the living room and felt completely disgusted with myself for not being more careful. I always leap before I look - a lifelong problem.

The next day I picked up the magazine and thumbed through it. Might as well, I thought. There I found a lengthy, but quite charming, article about baking bread in five minutes a day. Ha! How is that possible I wondered. But I read the whole piece and the writer, Becky Sell, convinced me it could be done. So the next day I gave it a go.

It's the best bread I've ever made, no kidding and no kneading! Here's how you do it - the short version.

Put 3 cups of very warm water in your stand mixer.
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast
Add  6 1/2 cups (exact) of flour

Attach the dough hook and mix for about a minute, until there's a nice ball in the bowl. Cover and let rest for 2 hours or so. Place in fridge for an hour. Grease a large cookie sheet and dust with cornmeal. Generously flour your hands and the bread board. Dump the dough onto the board. It's a soft and sticky dough so roll it around for a bit and then use a large knife to cut it into two pieces. Put  them on the cookie sheet and let rise for an hour. Slit the tops with a sharp knife. Put a pan of water on the bottom rack of your 350 oven and bake the loaves for 45 -55 minutes - until they look like the picture up there.

You know, Somebody watches over me, and very often my careless leaps turn into blessings. I love this bread and so does my family. I hope you do, too.