Would You Like to Learn How to Bake Bread?

Even if you have never baked bread before, I can just about guarantee that your very first loaf out of the oven will be so mouth-watering that you�ll amaze yourself (not to mention family and friends)!

Up until 1990, I�d never made a single thing that called for yeast. In fact, if a recipe did include yeast, I avoided it LIKE THE PLAGUE! I�ve never been a �Donna Reed� homemaker and I�ve been told that I don�t �cook,� I merely �prepare� things to eat. So, when an unusual gift of a cup of Sourdough Starter came my way, I was at a total loss. However, the friend who shared the starter with me had a delightfully documented family history about the origins of the starter and how her family had �kept it alive� down through seven generations. Who was I to say �Thanks� and then take it home and pour it down the sink?

Luckily, I was acquainted with a diploma�d gourmet cook and I turned to her for help. Sourdough Starter in hand and a recipe that dated back to the mid-1800s, I spent one wonderful Saturday in her kitchen learning the art of making homemade bread. When my first loaf came out of the oven, I stood there in disbelief! (And then, we tore it open and slathered it with butter and ate the WHOLE THING!)

OK, so enough about all this, let�s get on with getting you started. First, this is not a recipe for bread machines. I don�t own one. My only �bread machine� is a large crock mixing bowl, a big wooden spoon, a 31-year-old pastry cloth (a bridal shower gift from my mother), and my two hands. If you are looking for bread machine recipes, then search the Web---you�ll find oodles! I make bread by hand, from scratch, for the relaxation and personal satisfaction it brings me. So beware, you�ll be getting your hands right into the dough! If this isn�t for you, then by all means, pass it by (or give it to a friend who might like to make bread by hand).

Now you are going to need the Sourdough Starter. Please visit http://janktheproofer.com/SourdoughBread/JansDough.htm.This web page will take you to my easy-to-follow recipes for both the starter and Basic Sourdough Bread---and lots and lots of helpful hints!

I suggest that you print the recipes for both the starter and the bread. You should know up front that it�s going to take about 10 days to �grow� your first batch of starter (I�d love to share a cup of it with you, but technology hasn�t quite mastered the art of sending material objects via cyber-space!). Once you get started, you can email me directly (using the email address found on the recipe pages) if you have any questions. I�ll be happy to hold you hand while you create your first batch of homemade Sourdough Bread!

Oh, one thing, though�better be sure to have a tub of butter handy! You�re not going to be able to resist it�

Author: Jan Kovarik