Yep. It's official. I'm a bread maker... And you can be too!!
See that? That perfect loaf of bread up there came out of my oven. What?!!! I know I'm not the first to blog about the bread making revolution that is "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" , I think I first pinned the recipe last fall, but I was a skeptic and then a few weeks ago I saw Alexis Instagram of one of her loaves and decided it was high time for me to give it a go. OMGoooodness!!! It's one of those life changing recipes. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but there is something so wonderful and rewarding about making your own bread. I sat on the floor in front of my oven, wearing my flour dusted PJs, watching that first loaf rise. Like magic! And don't even get me started on how the entire house smells when a loaf is baking. Heavenly. And cutting into that first warm slice with the perfect crust and chewy center, slathering it in butter, I'm obsessed! I got the recipe from here but I highly recommend buying the cookbook too (and a pizza peel, pizza stone, and non-airtight storage container while you are at it, if you don't already own them. Better equipment = better results, especially in cooking!!) because there is a lot more information and bread varieties. (my only recipe note: I get 3 loaves out of the master recipe instead of 4. I like them a smidgen bigger.)
This loaf was baked to take to my parents for lunch. It was the 6th loaf we've baked using this recipe and the first one we let cool completely before cutting into it! Ha! Before we headed to their home, we stopped at a local farm to pick up some fresh tomatoes (mine aren't quite ready for picking yet!!) Sun ripened tomato sandwiches, is there anything better?
Turner Farm is a wonderful working farm. The crunch of gravel under your tires as you drive up the tree covered lane (I will have a gravel driveway one day!)... The white painted barns... the roaming chickens ... the crazy pigs, open pastures and fields of vegetables and fruit. They have a small produce shed where you help yourself and pay based on a honor system. There is a small cash box by the door and a large chalk board showing the current prices. I've only bought veggies there, but they have fresh eggs, meat, and poultry too.
