Gift of breadmaking

She could have done as I have and watched TV programmes and then youtubes and then found a recipe and had a go. Instead I was asked to give her a lesson in making bread which is what I did.

I brought my bowl and and yeast and scrapers and baking tin and liner. She bought a bag of white bread flour. I also brought a little bread making booklet free out of a newspaper and given to me by one of my helpful clients. I purposefully suggested a basic white cob as that was the first loaf I made and was hugely successful and launched me on my bread making career less than a year ago.

A cob is baked on a tray or stone and is free form but a tin was the desired utensil so we adapted and popped the dough in a tin. Her first loaf was well risen and if anything over risen due to an extremely efficient airing cupboard. Nevertheless, it did not suffer too much and the baking aroma infused the house and drew down her teenaged children from their bedrooms.

There were smiles all round and excitement. Though a little teasing as her son noted we were sat in front of the oven for half an hour watching bread cook. Watching my protege excited with glee with her very first loaf, proudly showing it off, was a really amazing feeling for me. Like I said, anyone can learn by themselves but I was honoured to be asked and to be there at this very first loaf. We all stood around tasting little squares of warm buttered bread. Deliciously biting through the crusty crust into the soft bread it was most satisfying. I am waiting to hear when the next loaf has been baked.