Bread-making the old-fashioned way
We recently bought a bread machine for $20 from some friends who never used it anymore. As with most trends, I was about 5-10 years behind the rest of the world in discovering what the fuss was all about. So now, as most people have tired of their bread machines and stored them on a shelf in the basement, I am just discovering the wonders of having that wonderful yeasty smell throughout my house and creating a delicious fresh loaf of bread.
Every time I use my bread machine, though, I think of my Grandma. What would she think of this contraption?
My Grandma was renowned as one of the best bread makers in Lewis County. Her loaves were among the first to sell at the Beaver Camp Auction. Those who had tasted it would come early and grab her loaves, which were easily recognizable for their high, round, lightly browned crust. And those who had not tasted it would often pick her loaves simply because they looked the most beautiful.
I made bread with my Grandma when I was a girl. I remember the stool she set the large aluminum bowl on as she mixed and kneaded. I remember her secret ingredient -- potato water. I remember the way her floured hands felt as she gently enveloped my hands to help me get the right kneading motion. I remember the sight and the smell of her bedroom, where she would line up loaves and loaves of bread on her bed to rise. (I am not sure why she put them on her bed except that it might have been the only flat surface in the house large enough to hold all the loaves.) My sister and I would sit there on the edge of the bed watching, desperately wanting it to be time to punch the loaves down for the second rise. And I remember brushing warm butter over the tops of the loaves as they came out of the oven - the last step and the signal that it would soon be time to taste the fruit of our labors.
And so I wonder what my Grandma would think of my modern bread machine. I hope that rather than being disappointed in this machine that perhaps over-simplifies the process of bread-making, she would be pleased to know that my home, too, is filled with the scent of fresh bread.
Every time I use my bread machine, though, I think of my Grandma. What would she think of this contraption?
My Grandma was renowned as one of the best bread makers in Lewis County. Her loaves were among the first to sell at the Beaver Camp Auction. Those who had tasted it would come early and grab her loaves, which were easily recognizable for their high, round, lightly browned crust. And those who had not tasted it would often pick her loaves simply because they looked the most beautiful.
I made bread with my Grandma when I was a girl. I remember the stool she set the large aluminum bowl on as she mixed and kneaded. I remember her secret ingredient -- potato water. I remember the way her floured hands felt as she gently enveloped my hands to help me get the right kneading motion. I remember the sight and the smell of her bedroom, where she would line up loaves and loaves of bread on her bed to rise. (I am not sure why she put them on her bed except that it might have been the only flat surface in the house large enough to hold all the loaves.) My sister and I would sit there on the edge of the bed watching, desperately wanting it to be time to punch the loaves down for the second rise. And I remember brushing warm butter over the tops of the loaves as they came out of the oven - the last step and the signal that it would soon be time to taste the fruit of our labors.
And so I wonder what my Grandma would think of my modern bread machine. I hope that rather than being disappointed in this machine that perhaps over-simplifies the process of bread-making, she would be pleased to know that my home, too, is filled with the scent of fresh bread.
posted by Alyssa at 2:30 PM
2 Comments:
In one sense you're simply carrying on the bread-making tradition in your family, albeit with new technology. But to use another example, I doubt our forebears would begrudge our preference for today's cars over and against earlier ones. It is in some ways just the way of things. Of course, it's still a lot of fun sometimes to go back in time and do that which our ancestors did. That's why seeing a Model T at a parade is a real treat. Similarly, it might be fun sometime to try making a loaf of bread from scratch.
Alyssa,
I definately think we should give this a try. I have cherished memories of my grandmother's bread also. And believe it or not, Chad has helped me knead bread; must not have been as good as our grandmothers.
Love you! Carma
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