I went and saw Julie and Julia last week. OK, I like 5 gazillion other people have been inspired to really get back into my love of cooking. I didn't, however, want to go and buy the Julia Child cookbook...it was already being propelled to the top of the Best Seller list. So I sat back and thought about what do I really LOVE to cook...and LOVE to eat. What can I really take and perfect and expand upon? My first thought was desserts...mmm...but wait. I just had a child 7 weeks ago, and I am trying to lose the baby weight and get into shape. Baking desserts MIGHT not be the best way to spend my last month of maternity leave if my goal is to fit back into those suits. Then it occurred to me...Bread. I LOVE BREAD. In fact, in college my roommate nicknamed me LOAF because of my obsession of eating bread (this nickname came about one evening after begging a closing Jimmy Johns to just sell me one of their loaves of bread they make their sandwiches on....). So, there you have it. I am baking bread during my last month off. Foccacia, Italian, Wheat, White, Brioche...and the one I REALLY want to master: The French Baguette. Who has been to Paris and come back to the US and actually found a Parisian style baguette...that nice crusty outside, soft delectable inside. There is nothing like it. I have not found ANY store yet that can make this treasure. Marsh, Kroger, Panera, local bakeries. Does anyone really know how to make a French Baguette in the US? Perhaps, but not in the greater Indianapolis area that I have found. Then again, I guess when I was in France, I didn't really find anyone who had mastered good BBQ. (And my friend Stacey can vouch for this, as she can't even find BBQ sauce on the shelves in France!)
So there you have it. My quest for September. Bake Bread. Lots of it. Eat Bread. Maybe not as much of it as I bake as I do plan to share the loaves with others. :) My mantra I shall chant each morning that I wake: I will bake a loaf of bread today, and it will be gone by tomorrow!
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This'll be a fun ride. :)
ReplyDeleteThe challah was delicious! Challah is supposed to feel heavier than normal bread. Actually, the heavier it is the better! Yours was the perfect consistency, and had just the right amount of egg flavor! Bravo!! :)
ReplyDeleteI will happily trade squash for bread!! I would love a review of that book after you've tried a few recipies.
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