"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Monday, April 2, 2018

Staff Of Life


I've been baking bread.  Friend Monique, from La Table de Nana, is quite a baker and I decided to use a recipe she published.  So glad I tried it as it is easy and very good.  Of course, mine doesn't look like hers', but I am happy with it.  It got me thinking of the old proverb about bread being the staff of life. I am a bread devotee; could easily live on it alone.

Sounded biblical to me and then I remembered why.  The Lord's Prayer has the line, "give us this day our daily bread". Googled it and found it was referred to as the staff of life for ages.  Staff meaning food in general.  Seems Jonathan Swift was quoted to have said, "bread is the staff of life".

Nevertheless, this bread is a no knead variety.  My kind of bread. You must use a cast iron pot with a lid.  I didn't think I had one in the city.  Looked around and found this old chicken pot I'd never used. It is small and the perfect size for a loaf (almost a ball) of bread.

No-Knead Bread

3 cups + 2 TBS all purpose flour
2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. Red Star Platinum yeast
1 TBS honey
1 1/2 cups warm water

Mix ingredients. Dough will be sticky but don't worry if it is dry and shaggy like mine.
Shape into a ball - cover with plastic wrap and leave on counter 12-18 hours.
Turn dough out and shape into a ball. Score an X on top. Cover and leave 30 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.  Bake 25 minutes with lid on then remove lid for another 8-10 minutes.  This bread is so easy, I mis-read the directions, baked it covered for 15 minutes and un-covered for 10 minutes, AND IT STILL TURNED OUT!
Dried fruits, nuts or seeds - customize your dream bread. I have had to use measuring spoons and cups instead of my hands and eye estimations.

And I'll need a staff to walk about before long if I don't quit eating bread all of the time.



45 comments:

Doc said...

That loaf looks very good, well done. We cheated and walked to the French bakery near us.

angryparsnip said...

Oh My Goodness ! This bread looks so good and very easy. I will try it but like you, I love bread but have to be careful how much I eat.
My Mum used to make a great bread in a coffee can. It puffed up like a mushroom on top and was so cute.

cheers, parsnip

oldgreymareprimitives said...

I must try, but living alone with a loaf of fresh bread? My hip condos will grow more additions : (

Joanne Noragon said...

Rose had a load of her homemade bread. I had it for breakfast every morning. With butter. Yum.

Tom Stephenson said...

That looks to be very good bread.

donna baker said...

Oh Doc, I have found the most wonderful French bakery near my house. Thank goodness it is only open Thursday through Sunday.

donna baker said...

Put some seeds in it Gayle and you won't feel so guilty. Our you could bypass the latest fad of avocado toast and go to the new mashed pea toast (neither of which I'd do to my toast). I'm old school - bread and butter or a smear of jam on top.

donna baker said...

Luckily, it makes a small loaf, perfect for us. I keep it in the fridge so it lasts for a week.

donna baker said...

Makes the house smell wonderful too.

donna baker said...

It is Tom and so easy.

La Table De Nana said...

Wow! Are u kidding me? It's even nicer!Is that your baker?
In love♥
I love bread Donna..for years and years I stayed away..having been heavy until my teens..once I lost the weight I stayed away..then something happened in my 50's..and I thought..just eat it.
And I do..not tons..but enough♥
Kudos because it's gorgeous.
Bake away..♥Take care of that cold...speedy recovery.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I don't know why, but I always shy away from yeast breads. Yours looks so good, and I do have cast iron pots I could use. Who knows, maybe I'll give it a go. -Jenn

Elephant's Child said...

It does look good.
And the smell of baking bread is divine. As a student some of my friends lived near a bakery. And going past in the early hours was always a hungry making treat.

angryparsnip said...

How funny You said that. As a treat I had Avocado on my Sunday toast but when I lived it California, land of the avocado we had that on toast all the time for lunch. I love peas, especially frozen .
You know today all the kids eat sugar or chips, for a snack we could have cinnamon toast, peanut butter with or jam on toast. with fruit. Home baked breat is the best.

Bea said...

That bread looks yummy! I'm digging the chicken pot as well. :)

donna baker said...

I love avocados, even plain. Don't know if I'd like it in a shake though.

donna baker said...

Monique, I tried to wrap it in paper before baking, but the paper stuck like glue to the bread even though I sprayed it with Pam. I am thinking of trying some dried apricots and sliced almonds, but I enjoy it so just plain. Vanilla ice cream anyone? Just don't post about croissant making please ;)

donna baker said...

Do you shy away Jen because of the calories? I have given up on that. Nora Ephron said in one of her last books, to eat it all now (as she was a cookie aficionado). When you are old (I think she meant leaving) you won't feel like it. It's a good way to think about it. I don't make cinnamon rolls because they don't turn out, but this bread is super easy.

donna baker said...

Yes, Child, I too remember going by a bakery each morning and smelling the bread.

donna baker said...

It is the perfect size for the bread. I think I never used it because I had nothing like meats or stews that would make such small batches and wouldn't run over. I always use huge pots.

Michelle said...

I will need to try this recipe. I don't seem to do well with the kneading variety.

Ry @ Sotto Il Monte Vineyards said...

Looks so good! I love bread too, but since my metabolism has apparently come to a screeching halt - I don’t partake as much as I used to!

donna baker said...

It will work Michelle. Only bit of advice is to use the right ingredients the first time, then later experiment. I tried a cake flour and it didn't work.

donna baker said...

You are good Ry. I lost all vanity some time ago.

ellen abbott said...

never made bread but I might have to try this.

donna baker said...

It is so good Ellen. Love that you just mix it up and leave it on the counter then bake. So easy.

Out on the prairie said...

Love this recipe, I make mine in the cold months, never measuring. I like to add varied grains and spices, always experimenting.

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Oh Donna .... your bread looks fantastic and it sounds like my kind of recipe ... easy and no kneading ... brilliant. XXXX

donna baker said...

I think you should Ellen.

donna baker said...

I love all form of bread, except for onions in it. How are you?

donna baker said...

Jacqueline, Monique said anyone can make this and though I have messed it up a couple of times, it still turned out good.

Sandra Cox said...

Oh yum! That looks and sounds delicious.
Interesting info on staff of life. Thanks for sharing.

donna baker said...

Sigh Sandra, it is. That's why I can eat and eat it, cause it's the staff of life ;)

Jenny Woolf said...

Wow, that looks like a splendid loaf! And no knead makes it even better!

donna baker said...

My kind of bread making.

Sandra Cox said...

Got any of that bread left? I'll be right over. Just as soon as I finish pizza at Jeanie's:) Heh.

Sandra Cox said...

Heh. Works for me:)

donna baker said...

Yes mam, it'll last me about a week - a piece of toast a day.

Sandra Cox said...

Perfect! I love starting the day out with homemade bread or bakery bread.
Have a great one, Donna.

Sandra Cox said...

How's the weather there, Donna? Seeing some sunshine today?

donna baker said...

Yes, and Yay! Sick of freezes. Need to get on with gardens.

Haddock said...

Wow... that view of the bread in the pot is really appetizing.

donna baker said...

Well, thank you very much.

angryparsnip said...

I left a comment on my blog but I just wanted you to know I am watching the fires where you live and hope you and family are OK.

donna baker said...

Oh thank you Gayle. They are west of Tulsa, but are a danger anywhere in OK. I think the farm in SE OK is out of danger right now because of rain, but in the right conditions and wind, it could be bad down there because of forests.