I am dreadfully behind in my Slow and Steady posts. I have been baking the breads, but not finding time to tell the story. The S and S group is about two months behind schedule – seems the holidays wreaked havoc on Nancy’s well devised plan – and I am about two weeks behind that. So I hope you don’t mind a twofer with the breads!
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Light Wheat Bread
I have only recently discovered that I really like wheat breads. I have eaten them often in the past, but didn’t really like them. The more I use whole wheat in my baking the more I appreciate the depth of flavor in the breads and other baked goods. This wheat brad was a little disappointing. It was rather bland in taste. I like it with more ‘oomph’ in the flavor. It was much better toasted.
The bread was doing beautifully. although it may not look like it from the picture, but it fell because life got in the way. 60 minutes into the 90 minute final rise I was called outside. When I finally made it back to the kitchen the bread had risen and fallen like an empire on a bad day. I went ahead and baked it. It probably didn’t affect the flavor, but I have to blame it on something. There is another wheat bread further along in PR’s book. Maybe I will like that one better. Ah, well.
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Marbled Rye Bread
I like breads with flavor. Rye bread has always been a favorite of mine. Ham and Cheese on Rye holds a special place in my lunch box heart. Wrapped in double foil, under the mat on the floorboard of my little MG Midget, by the time I reached school (two hour drive) it was warm and ready to devour savor. Graduate school makes you do crazy things sometimes. This formula, as PR refers to the recipe, calls for two different rye breads, one light and one dark, which are then swirled together to make a beautiful marbled bread. The only difference between the two doughs, basically, is the addition of cocoa, carob or coffee powder to make the dark rye dark. I used the cocoa powder. I placed the light dough on the bottom topped with the dark dough and rolled them up together. It gave me a beautiful swirl — and a great sandwich bread.
The Ham and Cheese is back – grilled instead of ‘road warmed’ and a little more sophisticated with a variety of cheeses (Fontina, cheddar) and slowly enjoyed rather than eaten in a frenzy while running across campus to class.
Other members of the Slow and Steady BBA group have made these too. Go by and visit with
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Kayte, Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, Karen, Natalia, Tracey, and Leslie.
If they haven’t posted it yet, keep going back because they are all great bakers.
April 25, 2010 at 8:20 AM
Haha love the story about the sandwich on the floor of your car 🙂 You guys are stars for baking through the BBA, even if it is at a slower pace. Both of your breads look fabulous! I wish I liked rye because I love the swirl in that one!
April 25, 2010 at 3:05 PM
Both breads look great, but I love that swirl in the rye!
Thanks for your comment on the red pesto, I hadn’t realized it was so easy to make so now I won’t be buying it anymore. Homemade tastes sooo much better than store-bought!
April 25, 2010 at 3:06 PM
Great post, Margaret! I love the story. You’re still doing better than me with keeping up–I still haven’t managed to bake the rye. I’d hoped to do it this weekend, but it’s not looking good right now.
April 25, 2010 at 8:47 PM
Those breads both look great and I’m a serious grilled ham and cheese fan. Yum!
April 26, 2010 at 12:47 AM
That marbled rye looks so good. I have always wanted bake fresh bread. Nothing like it with some butter to go with a cup of tea.
April 26, 2010 at 6:45 AM
Great looking breads. I love the melty cheese on that rye. Very fun reading about the transport of the rye sammie in grad school. You got a great swirl! That whole swirl thing just thrilled me to no end. LOL. Are we really two months behind? Shows that we are all in sort of the same boat and that we are baking at just our speed…love that. Great breads.
April 26, 2010 at 3:01 PM
Oh! Both bread look delicious…what a great bread for sandwiches 🙂
April 26, 2010 at 3:21 PM
I am loving the marbled rye bread – it looks amazing.
April 26, 2010 at 4:44 PM
That marbled rye looks amazing. I love rye bread.
Thank you so much for the delicious goodies!!! I really liked the cheese straws, loved the bite they had. The hubby loves the puppy chow. My favorite is the granola bars! I ate two of them today!!
April 28, 2010 at 1:33 PM
Thanks for this! Looks yummy – I think I will use our family favorite flour that is a while wheat called kamut. It’s just so good and heathy! I love your recipes!!
May 18, 2010 at 11:16 AM
Great looking loafs there.