Hello everyone,

I joined this site 4 years ago, and have read many threads over the years, but have never posted.

I started baking bread soon after I graduated from college, and found myself living on my own for the first time.  I wanted to understand the baking process, so I tried to make bread without following a recipe.  I went to a bookstore, picked up a book about bread, and just read the list of ingredients from a simple recipe.  I didn't read anything else from that book or that recipe; I went to the store, got those ingredients, and tried to make them work.  It was an amusing failure - I basically made a couple large crackers.  But it was a good learning experience.  I went back to  the store, read the rest of the recipe, and started to learn how yeast works.  I have been making bread off and on ever since.

I had an experience recently which re-energized my interest in making bread.  My 11-month-old son has been a fairly picky eater.  I hadn't made bread since he was born, because we have been so busy.  I decided to make bread for my wife for valentine's day.  She loves olives, so I made her an olive ciabatta loaf.  Our baby loved it!  Watching our baby eat several slices of that bread with a huge smile on his face was one of the most satisfying foodmaking experiences I have ever had.  It's nice to be making bread again!

Eric