Food: June 2005 Archives

I've been too busy to cook much lately. The last time I went to the library with the kids I picked up a book on baking. For no special reason I choose "The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking", by Rick Curry.

The first recipe I tried was "Whole Wheat & Oatmeal" bread. It was pretty good. I think the bread was overly dense, perhaps because I didn't let it rise far enough the second time. Even so, it was yummy and is the kind of bread that would make nice sandwiches.

It was really nice to do something pointless like making bread. I've been working a lot. When I'm not working I'm trying to do something else on my mental to-do list. Making bread was a treat to me because it really was an activity that was slightly creative, could be easily finished in one night, produced something other people could enjoy, and wasn't terribly difficult. It's a process that is slow and can't be hurried, unlike the rest of my life.

I have made bread successfully before but only in a bread machine. Sometimes I would use the dough setting to make the dough to the point where it just needs to be punched down and shaped to go into the oven. I used to make great pizza dough this way until the pan got gunked up beyond repair.

I have tried to make bread from scratch before but I never go it to turn out. For some reason, I never could get dough to rise properly in the townhome we used to own.

I liked the author's introduction to the book. The author felt that one could use the process of making bread to create an atmosphere to engage in the practice of Ignatian Examen. I agree, engaging in purposefully quiet thoughts about thankfulness is a good match for kneading bread dough.

The proceeds from Rick Curry's book go to his project The National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped. There is also an online bakery where you can order his bread. The proceeds fund the theatre workshop as well.

Next time I'll use a bread pan and let it rise a little more.