>and cookies. On the other hand, when bread machines are used as they're
>apparently ntended, they appear to be philosophically and esthetically the
>opposite of making bread by hand. They deprive you of contact with your
>dough. I am drawing a distinction here between process and results. If
>you're someone who gets satisfaction out of the by-hand portion of the
>bread baking process, the "I did it myself with my own hands," kick, I
>suspect you're not likely to be happy with a bread machine. Yes, you may
>get good bread out of the things, but if the overall process is meaningful
>to you, you may not be happy.
I'm not going to disagree with you, but I am going to point out that for a
lot of people (like me) the concept of intimate contact with the dough is a
dream long gone. I simply lack the hand strength to knead dough. I also
find that the average Kitchenaid style mixer is too heavy and bulky for me.
My cute little bread machine is perfect, plus it allows me to have fresh
bread for company without getting up hours earlier than necessary. (Yes,
sometimes it's nice to make that extra effort for company but most times
I'd rather get the extra sleep and be bright and charming when they arrive.)
Speaking of barley (I'm too tired tonight to do a graceful segue) I
recently made a loaf of Carolina Rice Bread, from the "Ultimate Bread
Machine" cookbook and while the texture is nice (although the crust sure
got crisp in a hurry) it has very little flavor. Has anyone experimented
with using cooked barley in breads, and if so, how did it turn out? I have
used barley in place of rice for pilafs and it has a wonderful flavor, but
doesn't cook up as soft and fluffy as rice. If barley won't work, are there
other grains I could use instead that would give it the same nice texture
but not wipe out the flavor? (I can't even discern sugar or salt. I can
barely taste flour. It's THAT
bland.)
bright blessings
gypsy
=====
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