Are YOU addicted to baking bread? :)
I just HAD to share this from a friend of mine (who really has worked in the addiction treatment field, and is a great baker) when I wondered whether I was getting addicted to baking - enjoy!
"I don't see the clear signs of addiction:
- The constant urge to bake despite the negative consequences of doing so, such as your partner pleading with you to stop and/or they're contemplating the end of the relationship because of your constant baking (assuming that you haven't chosen a partner based on THEIR bread lust);
- Where all your friends are bread crazed ne're-do-wells who only encourage you to bake, bake, bake and they're never around when you're out of flour;
- Where all you money is squandered on flour and bread related paraphernalia;
- Where you find yourself lying about your flour purchases and minimizing the loaves you have baked. ("It's only a few buns...");
- Where you wake up in the morning and your partner tells you that you've baked 10 loaves and you cannot recall doing so:
- Where most of your time is spent in bread related pursuits to the detriment of necessary life activities;
- Where you experience physical withdrawal symptoms whenever you have not been baking, most often following a period of heavy baking;
- Where making only one loaf isn't as satisfying any more and you're noticing an increased tolerance for multiple loaf recipes.
If you see yourself here, get help fast."
that's great! thanks for sharing!!
Barbara
Guilty as charged! Help is not on the way . . .
Joyful
Do we have to exhibit all the issues highlighted or just some of them to be deemed as addicted? I can plead guilty to half of them!
Going shoping for clothes and coming home with 3 new loaf pans, and several scrapers, but no new clothes!
Having hubby open the coat closet and scream as the pile of bread and gasp other kitchen paraphanalia cascaded off the shelf where you have been piling them because all the kitchen cupboards are full.
Finding yourself critiqueing the bakery items, and saying I can make better Italian loaf than that, and just look at the cakes, terrible things really. And attracting security when you try to ask the baker what he puts in his bread!
Telling everyone, that all you want for Xmas or Birthdays is a gift certificate for an online bakeware shop, or King Arthur flour.
So many interesting recipes to try - so little time - and no more room in the freezer!
Karin
I do get high when my bread got a good oven spring, and open holey crumbs! Sometimes, the high will last for days after, if it was a big hit!
I also miss the previous high and want to replicate those again.
Now that you've mentioned it, I think I'm an addict.
Sue
http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/
Apart from getting high from oven spring, I also get high from macaron feet. They both made me jumping with joy:)
Sue
http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/
You find yourself sniffing sourdough to get high? You need to go to sourdough anonymous 12 steps program.
Hi. My name's Andy. I have a problem with baking bread.........
I had to stop using Bertinet's technique of slapping the dough - my husband got too suspicious...
Karin
I also kiss my loaves when they behave so well, with big holes, nice ears, good oven spring, and cracking crust. I kiss my bread and say I love them whenever I got all these great results...lol.
Sue
http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/
Yes i am an addict, i cant stop trying to perfect perfect bread! I hunger and yearn to make rustic artisan loaves everytime trying to better the one before it! I can't even eat all the bread i make and quite happily throw half loaves in the bin because the next loaf has just come out of the oven. I and my partner have limited me to just two 1lb size loaves a day which i start a poolish of at 8oclock in the morning and finish baking just after midnight. I have spent many long nights pondering temperature, ingredients, kneading, rising, proofing, steam and many other intricate processes that produce the finest home made loaf that would stand the test against my local bakers best effort which he sells for under a pound! I have battled through oven spring, gummy moist crumb, horrible yeasty flavours, rubbish home ovens and basically blood sweat and tears but i tell you that if you dont give up and maybe got a couple of years to spare you to could produce the bread you long for!
LMAO Karin... you made my day!
glad to see i'm not alone and probably not the worse :)
i wonder if you guys also have a problem with eating bread. I can't leave bread alone - no matter how full i am, no matter how lousy the bread is, when i see the stuff, i find myself pinching off a bit, and a bit..
rhodiharris: what a waste to throw bread! neighbours? swans at the local pond? the pigeons?
jolly: hats off to your discipline. I'm horribly flighty and get distracted by all sorts of bread before i can perservere at one. Never tried making tortillas, but i love sourdough anything so if you care to share your sweat, blood and tears recipe, i'm sure many will be glad. It sounds very wholesome!
Dear Jolly,
thanks, you are really intriguing me with the sound of THE IRRESISTIBLE TORTILLA :))
I am marvelling at how something containing oat groats, rye flour and other non-gluten stuff can turn out light and fluffy. I suppose the sourdough element helps. Although i'm sure that even if i were to try out your recipe, it would not come close - bear lard??!? milled corn? wow.
italian starter, hmm. will check this out too.
thanks!