Just for fun, finish the sentence:
You know you're a true breadmaker when...
.... you time your morning run around your bread rising.
.... you have an entire shelf of your pantry devoted to flours.
.... you think making a 4 hour yeasted bread instead of using your starter is "cheating".
.... you consider store bought, sliced white bread to be a freak of nature.
..... you own, or have borrowed from the library, every single one of the bread books advertised on this site.
This week I had a real You know your a breadmaker when... moment:
My husband needed a lift to the airport for an upcoming business trip and I made him timed the trip based on my rising/shaping schedule...
MommaT
-You spend dozens of hours over a hot summer thoroughly enjoying sweating and aching before, during and after digging out a 4' deep 4' wide hole in the ground, breaking up old concrete with a sledge hammer, and carrying hundreds of lbs. of salvaged sand/gravel and field stones 15' in diameter, patiently explaining to anyone who will listen WHY you are building an earth oven in your back yard upon cringing to the question "can't you buy that kind of bread at BREADSMITH" (or some such place).
-thinking "why wouldn't I order 50lbs. of artisan flour if it's a good price and on sale, too."
-planning your Sunday around firing up the outdoor oven, making breads, and pizzas later on, and more breads when the oven cools down again... and calmly answering questions about your weekend with "I made bread for 10 hours"
-you realize you better get off this thread even though you're enjoying it 'cause that sale ends in 34 minutes, and you just want to play it safe ordering through a new website
- when you couldn't bake the weekend before last because you were in S. D.(South Dakota) pheasant hunting, last weekend you were deer hunting in Mn. and you get up at 5:30 on Monday morning to start a quaruple batch of San Joaquin Sourdough just because you have to
_when you go from looking for a golden crust to seeing how dark you can get it
Steve
You post pictures of your baking projects on your Facebook page.
Your family sees the pictures on your Facebook page and volunteer you to make cinnamon rolls at the "day after the wedding breakfast" that is almost a year away.
You get invited to holiday dinners and never get to show off your other cooking talents because you "will be bringing the bread, right?".
You make special trips to the grocery store when you find out KA bread flour is on sale.
You discover after years of walking down the baking supplies aisle that your grocery store does actually carry a surprisingly decent assortment of flours beyond Gold Medal AP.
You have conversations with other shoppers in the baking supply aisle while perusing the flour selections. Honest, this happened to me two days ago. The woman saw 5 bags of KA bread flour in my cart and started asking my opinion of all sorts of baking supplies.
You consider opening your door and windows in the dead of winter while you are baking to share the wonderful aromas with your neighbors.
...you gaze at the freshly baked bread every 3 minutes for the next several hours
...your husband asks you to bring bread instead of presents to his parents at X'mas
...apologize to the starter when they are over-ripe
I'm so touched...all of you breadmakers...what a family.
Now this may be crossing the line:
...when you contemplate quitting the day job (with good benefits) and be a breadmaker
This thread makes me smile with tears. Thanks.
Michelle
Wow! Just noticed this thread was hopping again. Ha ha! I bow down to all of you....
You should be preparing to cook for thanksgiving, and all you are doing is baking bread!
Hi my name is will and I am a bread a breadaholic
You know you're a baker if you have more than 1 type of flour in the pantry (have about 8 at last count)
You know you're a baker when you get invited to dinner IF you bring home made bread or rolls.
You know you're a baker when your freezer if full of WW flour, pizza dough, loaves of baked bread, and pie dough.
You know you're a baker when you have 3 or thermometers in the kitchen.
You know you're a baker when you have a big flat baking stone in the oven and a peel hanging on the side of the fridge.
You know you're a baker if your house shoes are covered with flour.
Hey buddy.... could you spare a cup of flour??!!
You know your a baker when the first thing you do after getting home from family vacation is start making dough so it will be ready to bake by the time you get the car unloaded and unpacked.
when I remind that my starter will be 2 years old december 27...and you'd wish to invite pals from TFL to quito to celebrate their happy birthday...Paolo
Your starter was born on my husband's Bday! Cool, we could definitely give a party together!
my starter is just a little younger - 2 years in March...
aren't we all a little crazy? ;-)
These are all very true. We laugh but it's truth! I haven't read them all so this may be a repeat: How about when you get a slice or loaf of another bread and you can't just bite into it without inspecting it visually, turning it over, pulling back the crust, biting into it a little at a time and allowing the flavors to be on your tongue for a second before swallowing, checking everything from crust to crumb, smelling it, turning it over, holding it to the light and generally taking a full two or three minutes before actually eating it the way "normal" people do.
I have no doubt that I am now a complete bread-snob. The other day I was at the grocery store and someone was handing pieces of bread with a little cheese on top. I had to control myself not to show my horror at the quality of the bread. It looked like some slightly upscale version of Wondra. Pretty sad...
I think we are very fortunate to be able to bake and enjoy great bread. let's keep that in mind always...
I guess my obsession has been noticed by the family. My son recently delivered the grandgirls for a sleepover and begged for the just baked SD loaf as well as a raisin braid. He said the SD would go well with some Brie they were sharing with friends. I assumed that I would get to see the remainder of the loaf to check on the crumb but in fact they gave away the whole loaf. When I commented on this he said "Oh, don't worry, I told them they had to cut in in half, take a picture and post it on your bread site!" Cheeky blighter., A.
-when in your fridge you keep a pot with 1 and 1/2 pounds of 100% hydr..sourdough and....inspite of it....you keep a 1 pound of dry sourdough in a zip bag "Just in case!!!! Paolo
...only because you're levain for New Year's Day bake is due for its final feeding!
(Yep, I really did that.)
David G
This saturday, while my bread and buns were rising, I took the time to go to two bakeries and buy more bread!
.....your friends comment about the white powder you always seem to have on your clothes.
For three meals in one day.
Breakfast: French toast made with Proth5 baguettes.
Lunch: Herbed roast chicken sandwich on Proth5 baguettes.
Dinner: Roast trout with garlic bread crumb topping made with Gérard Rubaud baguettes, steamed broccoli and fresh-baked San Joaquin Sourdough baguettes. 2007 Edna Valley Chardonnay.
I didn't even notice until my wife pointed it out.
David
David, there is NO doubt in my mind you ARE a bread baker! :-)
I just found this thread and I love it!!! So many of these things qualify for me. I made a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread on Saturday, and when I cut into it on Sunday and saw how pretty it looked on the inside I felt happier than I had all week. My mom jokingly called me a "bread geek" when I told her that!
At first I thought the whole "naming your SD starter" thing was kind of silly, but then I changed my mind and my dad named my starter "Harvey", so Harvey it will stay :-)
I am glad to know I am not the only one who "literally" dreams about my bread!
you keep digging up this "oldie but goodie" thread :)
You seriously consider not going for too long because you feel like you're neglecting your starter.