Loaves and puppies

browndog on 30 Apr 2007 at 06:31
white mountain, whole wheat, shortbreadsLoaves and puppies have this in common, that more is invariably better, so long as you find good homes for them all. An attribute that doesn't hold for everything- mice and snakes are best in sedate groupings of no more than two or three, for example, and I suspect that even bunnies have their tipping point. (Nah, prob'ly not...) I had the remarkable good fortune to find myself handing out bread to nearly a dozen people this weekend. Since any home-baked bread is generally enough to inspire gratitude, I kept it straightforward with a basic all-white loaf and a 100% whole wheat. The wheat worked a treat (God I love that phrase.) The person it was earmarked for is of that rare breed who prefers his bread only a very little removed from the wheat field. I hybridized from recipes in Beth Hensperger's Bread Bible and King Arthur's 200th Anniversary Cookbook, and the dictates of what was in the cupboard. I added a quantity of cooked cracked wheat so as not to be accused of being wimpy, yet the crumb was so, well, edible, that I might've fallen short...oh, the cookies are a couple varieties of shortbread, and now watch carefully as I insult an entire people, I needed cookies of a British heritage, and when I searched for recipes what did I find but shortbread, ginger-nut biscuits, and something alluringly referred to as digestive biscuits... 100% whole wheat w/ cracked wheat white mountain white, 100% whole wheat
They look like they were painted. How did you get such a beautiful EVEN browning?                                                                  weavershouse
One of those moments, weavershouse, where if I had any imagination at all I would invent two pages and a link detailing my arcane and arduous process, however closer to the truth must be that these were standard-issue recipes that included sensible rations of oil/butter and honey. Why wouldn't they brown? It's like there are some neighbors' kids you just know will be on the honor roll, the swim team, the math club, chosen Prom queen, class president, head cheerleader...unlike the children of artisan bread, who frequently are seen talking to the police.
Oh that's funny, I know all those children, love them all.  
And I love oil/butter and honey too.                                  weavershouse

Very nice work Browndog5. You also have a nice touch with photo lighting. There is something very nice about giving bread to a friend, especially when you know what will please them.

Eric

Beautiful work, BrownDog5 - on the bread, the cookies, the photography, and certainly not least, the writing. A great thread all-around.

Very nice breads indeed.  I also notice and enjoy how you incorperate a dog mug, figure, etc. into your photos.  I wish I still had some of my Tonka Trucks from childhood.  I could throw one up on the counter with mud on the tires, and set it near my breads on their boards.  Well, maybe not.. I'd probly be too busy playing with them to take pictures of my bread.

 Great post.

Tattooed Tonka