The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Bread Manifesto

Shutzie27's picture
Shutzie27

Bread Manifesto

The following is my bread manifesto:


I do not ever ever bake bread for money, unless I am seriously and quite literally faced with homelessness. I'm far too selfish to turn this corner of reprieve in my life into a job.

I will never put myself in a position for anyone to turn baking bread into work or labor for me.

I will always make sure every loaf, roll or breadstick that comes from my hands is made with love and the excitement that comes from sharing something good and showing love in a tangible way. The ability to bake bread from scratch by hand is, after all, to some degree a gift and one that should be shared. (Granted, whether or not I have this gift is still debateable).

Someday I will make a baguette. I don't have a pan for it, and probably not the oven, either. I have been reading and re-reading the recipie and studying it like it was a final exam in the class of Life. I don't believe I am ready yet...perhaps when I've finished this semester of law school. But someday, I will make a baguette.  

After that, and only after that, I will attempt to make a challah bread.

I must also make another sourdough again, though I'm not entirely sure where that fits in and it might depend on how law school goes.

And finally, before I die, to celebrate a personal and deep victory of my own, I will make a croissant. Well, probably six or a dozen, because that's usually what the recipe calls for. I shall be exceedingly careful as to who I chose to share the croissants with, as well. The ones that turn out, anyway. It's not the kind of patience, care, precision, and effort one puts in for just anyone, after all.

Comments

GaryJ's picture
GaryJ

A fine and noble manifesto Shutzie27 ; - ) Pretty much sums up my feelings about bread baking. I have occasionally caught myself contemplating attempting making bread for a living and it has been suggested a few times by friends and family. I resist the temptation. Great pleasures and passions in life such as this should not be squandered to turning a buck without extremely careful consideration. Cheers, Gary

Shutzie27's picture
Shutzie27

It's good to know my mindset makes sense to others as well!

LindyD's picture
LindyD

Traditional baguettes aren't baked in a pan.

Here's a recent thread on the topic of baguettes.

Good luck in your bread quest but do keep in mind that in order to learn, one must bake.

Shutzie27's picture
Shutzie27

Thank you for the link, I've printed out the third recipie on the thread already and have learned more than a few things I didn't know. And as far as learning and baking go, no worries there--I've been baking like crazy while I still have the time (I'm starting law school in the fall).

My impression is that breads are reflective of progressive skill to some degree. So lately I've been trying to do some Italian bread and country loaves in an effort to learn how to do crusts well. I figure if I can't do a crust, I can't do a baguette. I'm also working on my shaping skills, which are slowly but surely improving. If I can do a good sourdough boule, then I figure maybe I'll be ready to braid challah. That's where that part came from. Thank you again!