lfc@juno.com wrote:
> I have baked bread both as treats and staple bread for about 15 years.
> I got a bread machine about 4 years ago and I really liked it for
> simple white or 50/50 bread (whole wheat/white flour) for a couple of
> years. For some reason, after a while it didn't bake as well. The
> loaves don't rise in the bake enough. I figured it was something I
> wasn't doing right. Reading all the dissappointment people have had
> with bread machines makes me wonder. I received a KitchenAid a couple
> of Christmas' ago and I love it. I mix and knead the bread, but I
> take it out to hand knead a little bit because I love the feel of the
> dough. Plus, I like the whole loaves without the hole-y loaf from the
> paddle.
While I feel that bread machines are of the greatest use to people who are
unable to bake due to physical limitations, and that they don't produce
very good bread, the sort of problem you describe is most likely due to
some changes in the yeast you were using. When I used the disgusting
little things I found that after I stored yeast for a half year or so, it
would slow down. When I increased the amount of yeast I used slightly, the
loaves would rise as much as I wanted again.
Mike