World Bread Day

Back in October, while the rest of the blogging world was celebrating World Bread Day, I was lamenting the lack of time to participate..

However, it isn't that difficult. Proofing dough is by far the easiest task going and with a little organisation, bread would have been no trouble at all! I did manage to churn out some pizza via the exact same process but have only managed to get in some bread baking this past weekend.

Now while Christmas cake did give great aromatherapy.. it doesn't require the kneading.. that simple theraupeutic value that breadbaking provides. Not to mention the alchemy, the mystery, the history.. bread was sustenance, it signified abundance, and was often baked as a communal activity.

I love the attachment that every culture and every country has to its bread. Baked, fried, sourdough or unleavened.. Throughout my time in University, I have met many students that all miss bread from their respective homes and their childhood.

My earliest memory of bread was homemade by my mother.. 3 loaves a few times a week. My father preferred it and we were not given special treatment. A shame to say that we envied the store bought bread that our friends used to have packed in school lunches and munched the hearty crusts of our homemade sandwiches with disdain!

Today, we're making up for lost appreciation time. Bread just isn't eaten, it is smelled and savoured. I plan meals that I can soak up the flavours with its goodness. We even fight over the crusts!

They say better late than never.. and on that note,

Best for 2007 to All.

Comments

Nigel Olsen said…
Mary, I'm giving Rewena bread a whirl! I've just made the starter and I'm waiting for it to ferment. By the way, I've taken your advice & I'm trying to organise a beer tasting session with some friends - I hope it stays civilised! Did you enjoy the wine?
Anonymous said…
And a Happy New Year to you, Mary!
Anonymous said…
Very nice Mary. I love bread.
Mary said…
Hi Nigel, best for the Rewena.. I so love sourdoughs. That feathery open texture and subtle sweet tanginess you describe complements butter just as well as so many fillings. Yours is a gorgeous loaf and I'll be interested to see how this continued experiment develops, I'll bet you'll find your flavour unfolding with every new batch.

Thank you Ivonne, you've been busy with your own baking adventures, that I see have been progressing marvelously well! Also hope that you are getting some wonderful winter weather to enjoy all the Cream Puff comfort food!

And thank you too Barbara, bread is a big part of our meals. As my suocero says:
"Senza il pane, la tabella è vuota"
(The table is empty without bread!)
He never has a meal without it and the dish is always wiped clean!

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