Hi all - I have a meat slicer [and a problem leaving the William Sonoma outlet
without emptying my wallet!] I've tried it to slice bread - it works, but
isn't worth the trouble for me - I wouldn't buy the machine just for that [I
think they normally list for $40-50]. I simply use a really good serrated
knife - its super long [definitely a medieval torture instrument] the blade is
over a foot - I also have stopped using the ridged cutting board I was told I
must have when I first started baking - I just cut wherever I am - here's my
trick [after botching many millions of bread slices!] to make the slices normal
looking without tearing - I keep my hand on top of the loaf and hold both sides
straight with my fingers - then I cut through the top crust with a sawing
motion and then, rather than continuing straight down through the bread - I
angle the knife and make sure I'm cutting more the the side crusts with each
stroke than the soft middle - keeping a little ahead of the middle all the time
- the middle is so much easier to cut more in one stroke without tearing - so
this way my slices come out pretty and not too thick of thin - Try a good knife
before investing in a bread slicer! Better for kitchen space too!
I've recently found out that I have a yeast "sensitivity" [I'm not sure I'm
going to give up yeast baking just to avoid an occassional sinus headaches] so
I too would be interested in a few non-yeast rising tips - I don't care about
recipes as much as a substitute method to experiment with using my regular
recipes - although recipes would probably be just as good! By the way - anyone
with a yeast allergy out there who's found that giving up yeast really made a
difference? Thanks in advance - Cherie
PS re: king arthur charges - I think its so high because the stuff weighs so
much - I don't like it either but until recently none of my local stores [long
island NY] carried their flours - or only the plain white which I don't use -
but I stopped in at our new Fresh Fields [a high end eco type supermarket] and
they had several varieties - more than I've seen at a supermarket here - so if
you have such a store - or a whole foods or bread and circus store which are a
similar type of chain - try checking it out - it may be pricier than your
grocery store but the flour is probably still less than adding on the shipping
price!