YAB (Yet another baker)
Hello, everyone. Thought I should introduce myself before continuing to post everywhere :)
My interest in bread might have begun when working on my family genealogy. Several of my ancestors (or their brothers) built and/or ran grist mills. Evidently it is a tradition to use old millstones for tombstones. I've seen two of these to-date, one in Ohio, one in North Carolina. I've discovered the old foundation of a mill run by Dixons on Dixon Mill Road. Because of this I love visiting old mills, especially working ones. But somehow this never translated into me making bread.
My interest in cooking began mainly back when I was self-employed and spent a lot of time at home. I watched too many Nigella and Emeril episodes. I accumulated many knives and other gadgets. I also made some really nice food. The wife approved.
I have also made a batch or two of my grandmother's 'butterhorn' recipe, with my dad walking me through the steps based on his memory. I am now intent on converting this into a vegan recipe.
My current interest in bread is more puzzling. According to Google I started searching for bread machine recipes on Feb. 4. Neither my wife or I can remember what sparked this interest. Regardless I am definitely enjoying myself. I have a large batch of dough rising in the kitchen right now. I'll close here before my now-malfunctioning laptop battery suddenly shuts my PC down. Almost time to put the starter back in the fridge too.
Ciao,
Glenn
You are obviously far more polite and well-mannered than I am --- I'm new here, too, and just started posting away without even looking for an "Introductions" forum (oops).
That is fascinating about your family background, especially with the "Dixon Mill Road". I'd say that your family history and your "unexplained" sudden interest in making bread might lend some credence to the idea that some interests are truly passed down in our genes!
It is amazing how enjoyable the whole process of research and planning and preparing and finally baking and eating a loaf of bread can be. For such a "simple" food, there is a ton of complexity and room for individuality, and it really is just plain fun to experiment with it.
Make sure that you post some pics from that batch of dough rising (and kudos on getting that starter under control)!
Keep having fun,
Laurie
It appears that I may have spoken too soon. I'm doing a postmortem on that batch of dough...
decent mill for about $200 and keep the Dixon family milling tradition going strong. Fresh milled flour is like the best thing in the bread world if you discount fresh milled sprouted flour:-) Nothing went to waste in the old days not even old grist stones it seems
Welcome and happy baking
While I'm not completely opposed to the idea of milling my own flour, I think that may be more work than I could justify. If I ever taste someone's home-milled bread and it tastes *that* much better, I suppose I could change my mind...
I wasn sold on the fresh milling until we did a comparison in a baking class. The fresh milled was truly amazing. So now I include some fresh milled flour in all my breads.
ETA: I never did do an intro post and by the time I thought of it, I had been posting for a few months already. I figured if someone wants to know something about me, they can ask. Ha ha!
Sneaky little things. Welcome to TFL! Floyd Mann is our host and started TFL a few years back.
Don't know if there is a cure for bread bug bites (or anyone is looking for one) but baking and tweaking seems to bring joy and relief to many symptoms. :)
Best cure I found was
1) make lots of bread
2) eat it
When you get bit again, start from 1
AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnd, I'm an idiot. LOL
Just found where I already introduced myself three weeks ago. Oh well, this was a much better introduction post :\
Oh well, just pretend you have a split personality and now we got to know both of you! :-D
to admit your mistake. That speaks better of you than almost any other endorsement. Besides, lots of people on TFL repeat themselves one way or another.
Paul