My vacation starts today. I have a glorious month and a half without having to go to work and perform all the other time consuming tasks of my profession. This gives me lot of free time to pursue an endeavor that I have long wanted to, if not master, then become proficient in. Dough has always been a struggle for me. It is too dry or too wet. It sticks or doesn’t come together properly.  Thanks to my food processor, I can finally assemble a passable pie crust, but I want bread.

There is something so comforting about fresh baked bread. It’s all yeasty goodness and love. It think there are few foods that are such a testament to time and care as a loaf of homemade bread. On a chilly winter afternoon, I want to be able to produce a warm pot of soup and a crusty loaf of bread.

Yesterday, I purchased a copy of The Bread Baker’s Apprentice []2by Peter Reinhart. I also picked up a selection of flours, yeast, lard, and my first food scale. I read over all the introduction and feel like I am ready to give it a spin.  I thing I will begin with a basic loaf of white bread. I will report back on my adventures as they unfold.

Thanks to Adactio for the lovely photo.