I went to the grocery store a couple of weeks ago and had a shock! The cheap, yucky bread went up 12 cents....that's 89 cents for a loaf of yuck. And the bread we actually like is too much to even think about. So then and there, making a loud, indignant scene, I vowed to start making my own bread.
After doing some planning, I came up with about 50 cents a loaf if I make it myself. That price includes all ingredients, as well as electricity for baking if I make four loaves at a time. So my adventure in weekly baking began.
The first two loaves turned out like little bricks. The yeast I had on hand was old. So, determined to make bread that day, I rode my bike to town for yeast. This is where I discover how far away The Village Food Pride really is, an hour round trip, unlike the car which takes about five minutes. And I also discover that Village Food Pride only carries small, expensive packets of yeast. There was no way I was going to ride all that way, totally out of shape without buying what I went for in the first place, so my first two successful loaves of bread actually cost about $1.50 each. Oh well. It tasted wonderful, and I felt very proud of making it all the way on my bike without keeling over.
Eventually, I found yeast in a larger jar, which cut the price back to about 40 cents a loaf. I was full of pride at all the money I was saving, figuring I saved about $50 dollars a year. That was before my husband and father got a taste of homemade bread. Now we are going through about six loaves a week! Savings are down the toilet and I guess at least we are breaking even. I am hoping that once the novelty of fresh bread wears off, they will be back to two or three loaves a week.
Last night I experimented with a new recipe. The loaves turned out soft and fragrant. Two loaves came out of the oven, but only one was left when I went to bed. So, baking bread has been a huge hit at our house, even if our budget hasn't felt the effects yet.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
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Do what Grandma did--make bread all day long, then put it in the freezer and dole it out. Also whole wheat is not quite so yummy.
ReplyDeleteI sure would like to know your recipe.
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