I have to say, it's a joy to be done with this project.
It served it's purpose and then some. I made 40 different loaves of bread. I tried detailed and complicated recipes and super simple recipes. I tried different flavors and loaded up on carbs. But most importantly, I got very comfortable making bread. And that, it turns out, was the whole point.
Less than two years ago, baking bread seemed like a foreign and scary concept to me. (Much like growing plants did two months ago when I tried not to cry in the Lowe's garden center.) Of course, the best way to get past something that intimidates you is to immerse yourself in it.
You've got to bake the bread.
I read a few books. I read a lot of recipes. I invested in decent tools. I took photos. I took notes on what worked and what didn't and what I'd change.
But really, I just but the effort in and baked the bread.
In the next few weeks, I absolutely want to get a post together with bread baking tips. But today I just want to celebrate that the 40 loaves were all baked (though it took an extra five months longer than I originally intended!) and share some of my favorites from the bunch.
After all this, I realized that my most favorite bread is usually pretty plain. It's the type that comes out in a basket at nice resturants still warm and tastes excellent with just a bit of salted butter. The first two loaves below are exactly that and the others serve a wide-range of needs. All of these will be baked again, most before the summer is out.
- "x bread" (I made up this name)
- no-knead bread
- cinnamon pull apart bread
- walnut bread
- english muffins
- soft pretzel tots
And all the other loaves plus my thoughts & recipe adjustments can be seen here. Thanks for following along on this adventure!
enJOY it 
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