Salutations from the Ocean State

Greetings from Rhode Island, the little state that gets a big name check in paragraph one on page one of "The Bread Baker's Apprentice." Bread is a big deal in these parts: There is an abundance of A-list Italian bakeries in Providence, complemented by some top-drawer artisanal shops run by Reinhartians from J & W. In other words, I was brought up knowing where to buy great bread; now I'd like to see if I can make my own.

My copy of BBA is due to arrive in the mail this morning. I've got a Bosch compact mixer en route from Washington state, and an EatSmart Precision Pro digital scale coming my way via Amazon. But I think I made my biggest score stumbling onto this site, where so many good people come together to generously share their know-how and passion for the art and science of making and enjoying marvelous home-baked bread.

Thanks in advance for all the help and encouragement I plan to take advantage of as I go forward from the Fresh Loaf to the fresh loaves. I get hungry just thinking about it.

Bob