Thread: Who bakes bread?

I've probably told this before and if I have, please forgive me.

My mother wasn't a very good cook OR baker. She didn't like to cook and bake but she HAD to cook and bake. My dad's mother was a wonderful cook and baker. Nothing every fancy but always great food.

Mom never baked bread--period. She would make biscuits and my dad would take one from the plate, and then put the handle of his table knife under the table and simultaneously tap the biscuit and knife handle to insinuate that mom's biscuits were hard

Well way back in the 60's when mom discovered Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough she bought some and gave it a go. It came out looking and smelling quite nice. However unbeknownst to mom, although my dad wouldn't eat the heel end of store bought bread--he loved the end of fresh baked and still warm bread with butter on it.

Well we didn't have a real bread knife so dad got out his meat saw to gently saw through the still hot bread and not to crush it.

Mom was in tears as she thought dad was making fun of her bread. Once she found out what dad was actually doing she made it a point to purchase an actual bread knife so he could have his fresh hot bread.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

My35+ year old K5 Kitchen Aid is quite the Zen Master----

When I was at Joel's (Benz) place I showed him how to use his stand mixer to make bread. He said later that his 'Harem' of Widder Women and Divorcees were quite impressed that he wasn't using his bread machine anymore. (He did every once in awhile) But he could make two loaves at once with the stand mixer and freeze one for later so all of the prep and cleanup were condensed.

Regardless of the method, there's nothing like the taste of homemade bread

I used to have a K5. After 30 plus years decided to start making 100% whole wheat bread and bagels and it simply couldn't handle it. The housing would get so hot you couldn't touch it and it would simply stall. I donated it and it's still running strong. I use an Ankarsrum which is a Swedish Machine, these days. You can mix concrete in that baby.

Well since I don't care for or make 100% bread or bagels, Old Faithful should keep cranking right along well past when I'm able to use it.


When you do mix concrete in your unit to demonstrate it's capabilities, be sure to post pictures.

Had to look up that Ankarsrum.
Aside from being a city in Sweden, it’s also a pretty interesting design to a mixer unit, or assistant as they call it.
I too have a K5, or 5 quart kitchen aid mixer I use for my double loaf recipes quite well. But if it does eventually fail, that Ankarsrum may get ordered.. really neat rolling knead feature it seems to have.

Needs to be a bit darker next time but tastes great and the smells lovely while it's baking.

When I decide to sell up and move (which may not be long because this house has 5 levels and I am having trouble with the stairs now), I am going to bake bread before people view it.



It does't look cooked in the pic, don't know why that is because it was perfect.

Speaking of bread knives....got me one of these ....whole nuther ball game now !

Good choice!

Made a poolish type of boule....a couple big ones ! 4.3 pounds each....

Originally Posted by nessmuck

Made a poolish type of boule....a couple big ones ! 4.3 pounds each....

They look great. How'd that new knife go through them---well at least one of them?

That knife made life a whole lot easier...love it