It was a chilly day in Austin today – unusually cold with a bit of snow mixed in. We weren’t exactly snowed-in, but it was fun to pretend. We turned on the cozy fire, went out to play with the icy “snow” for a bit, came in periodically to check on our rising bread dough and made hot chocolate.
THE BREAD CHALLENGE CONTINUES:
We purchased our last loaf of bread in mid-January. I baked my first loaves on January 18! It has been a little over a month and we are still enjoying the rather novel luxury of freshly baked bread.
The baking process is still rather shaky ground for me, so I can’t say that its been the leisurely,stress-relieving endeavor that many make it out to be. The kneading time is lovely and the time it spends in the oven makes the house smell glorious. It is the waiting that bogs me down a bit. I made it sound lovely in the paragraph above, but that’s not really what it feels like most weeks. Most weeks, I am either making bread late at night after the rest of the house has quieted down and I am DEAD TIRED or I am trying to squeeze it into the long list of things that need to be done on Sunday and I am DEAD TIRED.
I’m hoping that this is only because I am new at this and that I will find my rhythm and that it will turn into the tranquil image that I have engrained in my head. I’m hoping. I’m hoping and learning and hoping.
Note: apologies for not including an image of my latest loaves. It was grey in the house today and the light was not cooperating. Some sunny bread-filled pix for you tomorrow via flickr.
Be kind. Be patient (with your dough). Eat well.
aneelee 