Staff of Life

Bread. It has many names. Roll, bun, bagel, baguette, pita, croissant, naan, brioche, biscuit, toast. focaccia (wikipedia lists over 100 different names). This yeasty, air bubbled, soft and pliable substance is found in almost every culture as a staple of living. We avoid trips to the grocery store until we run out of bread. We need it for breakfast so we have a depository for jam. Lunch without bread means no sandwiches. And dinner is a bit lackluster without a breadbasket.

One of my favorite memories as a child is coming home from school and smelling the heady fragrance of freshly baked bread. Wonder bread hadn't been invented yet so my mother had no choice but to crank out many loaves a week. She was a phenomenal baker and we were hungry little monsters so we made a good team. Our favorite way of eating the deliciously warm and soft bread was spreading it with butter (the real stuff) and heaps of crumbly brown sugar. The feeling in your mouth of slightly crunchy sugar, smooth butter and pillowy bread created a snack unsurpassed by the finest cuisine.

If done properly, bread is the gift that keeps on giving from beginning to end. Dry little yeast beads spring to life when warm water and a pinch of sugar are offered their way. The bubbly mass emits a fragrance of hope for good things to come. Our individual preferences are made possible by mixing in different grains, fruits, nuts, sugars, toppings and flavorings. Watching a shapeless glob of dough rise and poof its way to double in size is a wonder to observe. The shaping of the dough into a final product is limited only by one's creativity. It can be loafed, rolled, braided, stretched, flattened and twisted. After another round of warmth and time, our masterpiece is ready to bake. There is not a text message or Facebook post that could possibly say love like bread baking in the oven. The olfactory sensation is truly unrivaled.

This summer I am practicing my bread baking skills (lots of practice needed). I have had a few hits and some epic fails. Either way, I am learning much from the loaf of bread. First, bread baking is all about patience. A good loaf does not fall under the heading of 10 minute meals. A worthy slice of bread has to be nurtured into its full glory through time and tender loving care. Kneading, proofing, and baking are not to be rushed. Secondly, bread is a creative process. The end result is a combination of form and function. A loaf is good for sandwiches. Buns are just right for burgers. Rolled dough makes a great cinnamon roll treat. And flatbreads are good palettes for savory toppings. Third, bread is brimming with potential. Yeast, sugar, water and flour are lowly, unpretentious ingredients. Combine them, however, and watch the wonder unfold. Power is given to the plain.

Finally, bread is better when it is shared. My favorite bread recipe so far is a whole wheat roll that I've made successfully two times in a row (a record). When my husband sat down for dinner, he took a roll and gently broke it open. I nudged the butter toward him, assuming he was going to butter the warm bread. Instead he just held the roll up to his nose and took in a slow, deep breath. The bread had spoken without a word being uttered, the best lesson of all.