The Coffee Shop: A place to relax and hang out.

GaryA wrote: Nope, easy as pie.  Good bread is pretty easy.  Great bread is hard.  Bread takes time to rise ... but flatbread takes nearly no time at all. Plus you can load up flatbread like a pizza, with artichoke hearts and peppers and it is absolutely delish.  Just Google up some recipes, slip into an apron and go.  If you bake the bread in an open oven, be sure to insert a small open container of water with the bread.  If you use a Dutch Oven, sprinkle the bread with water prior to baking. 

I shall do that!  Any tips on a good tasty bread for a beginner to make? 

Glen Mosley wrote: Interesting, so can you cook that in normal oven?

Yes, Gary cooks his bread in a normal oven but usually in a Dutch Oven as opposed to a bread pan. 

JaneK wrote:

GaryA wrote: Nope, easy as pie.  Good bread is pretty easy.  Great bread is hard.  Bread takes time to rise ... but flatbread takes nearly no time at all. Plus you can load up flatbread like a pizza, with artichoke hearts and peppers and it is absolutely delish.  Just Google up some recipes, slip into an apron and go.  If you bake the bread in an open oven, be sure to insert a small open container of water with the bread.  If you use a Dutch Oven, sprinkle the bread with water prior to baking. 

I shall do that!  Any tips on a good tasty bread for a beginner to make? 

Gary uses an instant read cooking thermometer as opposed to temp & time.  When the bread hits 180F it's done. Gary usually follows a recipe precisely the first time out.  Then he starts messing with it the next time around.  Gary tends to make changes incrementally. Gary tosses tons of stuff into his breads from herbs to cheeses to peppers, et al.  

How long will freshly baked bread stay good to eat? 

Stanly wrote: How long will freshly baked bread stay good to eat? 

That sorta depends on how it is stored, but usually three to five days (tops). 

You can freeze that though right?  My mother has been making fresh bread for years.  No store bread can ever come close.  Plus I just love how her house smells right after the bread was pulled from the oven.  

Freezing works.  It will extend the bread's freshness into weeks. (Gary would rather eat it.)

Yesterday Mary Lou and Gary attended the musical Singing in the Rain.  OMG ... it was soooo great, pure entertainment, hours of singing, dancing ... six stars out of five.  A few weeks ago, prior to opening night, the theatre had a showing of the movie along and a Q&A session with Gene Kelly’s last wife.  If it comes to a playhouse near year, see it.  The production included the Singing in the Rain number with actually “rain”.  Just a great, fun time.

How often are you making bread? 

EOS Man wrote: How often are you making bread? 

A couple times a month.

I would love to make bread, however I have a tough time  keeping off the weight from all the pasta we eat in my household!  My wife makes fresh pasta, which as you may know is 100% better than store bought.  

GaryA wrote:

JaneK wrote:

GaryA wrote: Nope, easy as pie.  Good bread is pretty easy.  Great bread is hard.  Bread takes time to rise ... but flatbread takes nearly no time at all. Plus you can load up flatbread like a pizza, with artichoke hearts and peppers and it is absolutely delish.  Just Google up some recipes, slip into an apron and go.  If you bake the bread in an open oven, be sure to insert a small open container of water with the bread.  If you use a Dutch Oven, sprinkle the bread with water prior to baking. 

I shall do that!  Any tips on a good tasty bread for a beginner to make? 

Gary uses an instant read cooking thermometer as opposed to temp & time.  When the bread hits 180F it's done. Gary usually follows a recipe precisely the first time out.  Then he starts messing with it the next time around.  Gary tends to make changes incrementally. Gary tosses tons of stuff into his breads from herbs to cheeses to peppers, et al.  

Tell Gary that I appreciate his advice and tips! Can you ask Gary if there are any hard learned lessons from his experience making bread?

Alvin Pignotti wrote: I would love to make bread, however I have a tough time  keeping off the weight from all the pasta we eat in my household!  My wife makes fresh pasta, which as you may know is 100% better than store bought.  

Gary has also made pasta.  Bread just seems some more universal as a food.  Weight is always a problem for us 'normal' people.  

Reading this thread now has me itching for some good Italian food for dinner!  

Hey speaking of making stuff, anyone try making homemade sausages?