Favorite Ritual

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A few months ago I wrote about finding meaning in the daily rituals of life.
Bread baking is probably my favorite of all my life's rituals. I don't have to remind myself to love it - it's just visceral. I'm smitten with the whole process - a flour dusted kitchen, the hum of the Bosch, the chemistry of leavening yeast and gluten forming, the intoxicating aroma of baked grains and that first warm bite - the goodness of which just cannot be described.

There's also goodness in the satisfaction of homemade, in a process that you measured and mixed and tended to completion. Today I want to share my favorite bread poem (again - it just can't be read to excess) and my favorite bread recipe.

The poem:

B a k i n g B r e a d
Carol Lynn Pearson

There seemed more accusation
Than admiration in Vivian's voice
When she said, "Well, I wish I had time To bake bread!"

And so sometimes when
The loaves were in the oven
And Vivian was at the door
Louise mumbled something about
Another bake sale again

And never even tried to explain
Her near-religious ritual:

How the flour on her fingers
Was the sun and the rain
And the earth

How the thump of her palms
On the dough
Was the dance of women
On the ancient threshing floor

How the smell of baking
Leavened her
And left her believing that
We rise, we rise

And
How the cutting
Of the first warm slice
For the first child home
Made her a bounteous goddess
With life in her hand




And the recipe:

100% Whole Wheat Bread

I combine the following ingredients in my Bosch:

3/4 c. honey (or any combination of honey, brown sugar or molasses -- I usually use 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1/4 c. honey)
1/2 c. oil
3 T butter, melted (I use salted)
1 T salt
2 T dough enhancer (optional)
2 T wheat gluten
4 c. very warm water
5 c. freshly ground wheat flour

Mix all ingredients on low for about a minute.
Add 2 T active dry yeast

Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds. Cover mixture and let stand for 15 min (this allows the bran to absorb the water, if you're in a hurry you can skip this step, but the bread won't turn out quite as nicely).

After 15 mins, remove covering and turn mixer on low speed. Begin adding flour 1/2 c. at a time. When the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the mixer (around the 10th or 11th cup, which includes the 5 you added at the very beginning) turn off mixer and do the "floured finger test."

*floured finger test: dip your finger in flour and poke the dough. if finger comes out clean, you're done adding flour
if dough still sticks to your floured finger, continue adding flour 1/4 c. at a time until the test comes out clean.

Once you've determined that you've added enough flour, turn your mixer on to medium speed and let knead for 6 minutes.

Turn off mixer and the dough should "move."

Grease your hands with cooking spray or oil as dough will be sticky.

Divide dough into 3 parts (I divide it into 4 as I prefer to make four smaller loaves) - work out any air bubbles that may have formed

Form loaves and place into greased bread pans.

Let rise about 30 minutes, until doubled

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes -- you'll have to tweak the baking time for your oven/altitude. I only bake mine for 26-28 minutes when I make 4 loaves.

**If any of this is unclear, leave me a question in the comment thread and I'll respond!

xo,
em