Ok Jeff, you opened up this dialogue so here is my opinion on ABM's.
> As far as making good breads at home goes, I guess bread machines seem a
>little like condoms to me, that is, they remove us from the direct
experience. Why
>rely on some sealed and remote machine to do it all? Clearly, to make the
>best breads, at home or by the hundreds in a bakery, you must feel, feel,
feel the dough during all its stages. <Big Snip>
> My suggestion? Instead of a bread machine that removes you from direct
contact >(therefore understanding) with your bread, far better to buy a
Kitchen Aid style
>machine. You can mix beautiful doughs, and have a much more complete
>involvement with the dough, and how it evolves from minute one to minute eight.
I made bread for years & hated every minute of it. Maybe you get a thrill out of
kneading & feeling the dough but I don't. The only thing that interests me
is the
end product - a good loaf of bread. ABM's make delicious bread & they taste
as good as any homeade that I've ever tasted. I also don't have the desire
to understand my bread. I know enough to provide me with yummy bread &
that's all that concerns me. And yes, I also have a Kitchenaid but it still
requires your
time & attention, which leads me to my next point.
Time is also a factor. During the school year, I spend a lot of time at my son's
school. I can put on a loaf of bread when my husband leaves for work & have it
finished by the time my son leaves for school. I know I have a loaf of bread for
dinner & have time to do other things that are more important than kneading
bread.
Variety: I can make a different loaf every day if I want & lots of
different varieties.
This is something that I normally do not have time to do by hand. We each have
our favorites & I can make sure those are always available in the freezer when
needed.
Heat: I personally don't have central air. The ABM doesn't heat up the house
like
my oven but I still have delicious bread even in the summer.
My mother also made bread for over 37 years. My father is partially disabled now
& that means my mother has to do a lot of things around the house that he used
to do. She no longer has the time or energy to knead bread. So she also uses an
ABM & loves it for the convenience.
Don't knock ABM's especially since you stated that you never used one. For those
of you who get a thrill from kneading, go for it. I, however, will never go
back to
kneading!
And since I've rambled on, here is a great recipe from Bread Machine Magic
that is absolutely wonderful. It smells great while baking & is perfect for
breakfast
or brunch. Enjoy! Lavon
Johnny Appleseed Bread
1 1/2 pound 1 pound
1/2 cup apple juice 1/3 cup
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/3 cup
3 cups bread flour 2 cups
1 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp butter or margarine 1 tbsp
3 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp
1/2 cup cored, peeled & chopped 1/3 cup
Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup raisins, optional 3 tbsp
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp
pinch ground nutmeg pinch
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast 1 1/2 tsp
Place all ingredients in bread pan & select Light Crust setting. Be sure
to check this one because I usually add more flour to get it the right
texture. The spices & yeast are the same for either 1 1/2 pound or 1 pound
(it's not a typo). I also use the raisins.
Source: Bread Machine Magic by Linda Rehberg & Lois Conway