I've been known to bake the hell out of pies and cakes and other deliciously sweet concoctions. However, I am yeast challenged. I try about four or five times a year to bake bread from scratch, no machines. I have managed to make a decent dinner roll, and that's about it. I can't even bake biscuits from scratch, they just don' turn out right. I can live with canned biscuits. It won't kill me, since there are some that are quite tastey. Oh, but the bread. I have always loved the smell of fresh-baked bread.
My family was never much of a baking family. They can cook, for sure, but it was my extremely large and ever-growing sweet tooth that fueled my love of baking. The first time I had homemade bread I was sleeping at a friend's house. I was in high school, if you can believe it. I think I'm the only one I know that never had homemade bread. It was amazing. I ate the whole thing, and I wasn't the least bit embarrassed. They were amazed at how thrilled and excited I was over the bread. Since then, it has been my mission to bake at least one loaf of delicious bread. Okay, maybe I got a little more into it once I had kids. I would love to be that Mom. You know, the one that makes things from scratch. Like I said, I'm good with desserts, but I'm all about the bread. Yeah, I could never do Atkins.
Unfortunately, I get so emotional about the prospect of delicious bread that when it doesn't turn out right, I don't bake anything for awhile. Hence, only trying to bake bread a handful of times a year. I have decided that today is the day. I have cleared my mind and opened myself to all possibilities. I think that I have been going into my trials with a specific outcome in mind. In the past, I've turned out a few loaves that other people have enjoyed, but they were nowhere near what I intended. Thus, I was again highly unsatisfied. Now, I think I will just see what happens. They always smell great, but some aren't as crusty or soft or light or whatever that I wanted.
Maybe I should take one recipe and just rework it until I get a result that I find satisfactory. I just might have to try once a week. Every day is a little hard for me, since I get so emotionally invested in my baking. It's funny, I never have a problem if I bake a lopsided cake, or if I forget to brush a pie crust. I suppose in desserts, I don't really care so long as it tastes good. But with bread I look to be perfect. Though I am aware that will never happen. It would be wonderful if one day I could have to varieties of bread that I can bake consistently well, one for dinner and a softer, less crusty one for breakfast. For now, I will be happy with just one that I can enjoy.
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