Breadmaker

I finally cracked - and asked for a breadmaker. By now, it's probably pretty evident that I make a lot of homemade bread; actually I make pretty much all of the bread I eat, and rarely revert to storebought bread anymore. I am not trying to sound like a snob, but I am a baker, so I bake a lot anyways, and I much prefer the taste and texture of fresh, crisp, more nutritious homemade bread. Homemade bread is more economical, and you can choose exactly what kind you would like - no more searching store shelves for a certain blend of grains. It is also healthier, as you can control the amount of added fat, sugar, and salt, and choose which excellent whole grains you would like to use. Homemade bread is also so much better with white breads and sweet breads as well.

In the past, I hadn't liked the idea of a bread maker. I believed if you are going to do it homemade, you might as well do it by hand from scratch. No sense in letting a machine do all the work for you. I used to think this about food processors, but then realized food processors are used for so much more than simply mixing doughs - they are used for things that cannot be done by hand, such as chopping nuts, making peanut butter, making ice cream, etc., and they make many other tasks much easier and faster. I am still a bit in doubt about kitchen stand mixers though, and despite the fact many people seem convinced I wanted one, I still don't own one. I usually don't even use a handheld electric mixer unless absolutely necessary, as I prefer to mix by hand. 

The more I thought about it, the more I came to believe a breadmaker would be a good idea. It is beginning to become more difficult for my bread baking to keep up with my bread eating, especially as my life becomes busier. I am still measuring ingredients and shaping the dough myself, but it is kneaded, risen, and baked in a convenient little machine. The way I figure, this is still homemade bread, and a much better alternative than storebought bread. It this machine makes bread making quicker and easier for me, than why not?

Another reason is that I am definitely not the best bread-maker. I often have trouble with yeast doughs, which do not rise properly and give a disappointing final product. I also surprisingly do not enjoy kneading all that much, while some people find it relaxing, this is one of the aspects of baking I could go without.

So I asked for, and received, a breadmaker for Christmas. I am quite happy with it, and although it can only make one small loaf at a time, it will still save me time and provide me with plenty of fresh, perfect bread. I'll be sure to feature some of my breadmaker creations soon!