Eclectic Tarot Forum

I bought a bread machine a while ago, used it once and shelved it. I like the tactile aspect of kneading since I can see how elastic the dough is. My main problem has been old yeast. I just discovered Bob's Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour. It rises perfectly (I do have a wood stove to put it next to, at least this time of year) and it has superior texture.

I have purchased pre-made bread dough in the market and taken it home to bake before. In Vermont we had a restaurant that would sell their bread dough - italian style - for you to take home and bake. It was delicious! So one day during the work week, I'd go and buy that and a nice bottle of wine and some fresh cheese and Italian meats and the occasional small veggies and fruit to have an easy going meal. Delicious! We use to look forward to that every week. Then near our farmhouse in NY, I found an Italian bakery (in the old garage of this Italian family) that only made breads for the various Italian restaurants. But, he would also sell bread and the pre-made bread dough to people who wandered in as well. I'd buy it take it home and bake it as well. Oh, the heavenly smell of a fresh loaf of bread!

I use to make bread by hand( bread Machine sounds interesting). Once a made a coffee cake and will the yeast it became gigantic, I put it in the freezer and I'm not sure if we ever even ate it.

Unless you do a lot of baking and buy yeast by the bag or jar and use it up quickly, I have found that buying the usual '3-packs' of yeast in most stores is not always great stuff, and when you use 2 of the packs and leave the 3rd in your fridge - it's usually dead when you go to use it. I only buy the 3-packs of yeast when I need them and usually toss the unused pack - nothing ruins your day faster than yeast that doesn't rise to the occasion! Leaving yeast in your fridge or freezer too long kills the little yeastie beasties ....