BREAD FOR ALL SEASONS

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It's still not too hot for early morning baking . . . and these loaves will accent any summer meal.

STAFF PHOTO

Nancy Bubel
Homemade bread, fresh from the oven, rates high on almost everybody's list of favorite foods. And these two herb and spice recipes both produce loaves that are just right to serve with quick, light meals

HERB BREAD
Folks who enjoy gardening as well as baking can give this recipe the added savor of homegrown flavorings. (If sage and celery seed aren't among your favorite herbs, you can substitute others of your own choice, but do keep the nutmeg: It seems to set the stage for the rest!)

1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of oil or lard
1 tablespoon of salt
1-1/2 cups of milk, scalded
2 tablespoons of active dry yeast
1/2 cup of warm water
4 teaspoons of celery or caraway seed
2 teaspoons of ground sage
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
2 eggs
6-7 cups of whole wheat flour

To begin, mix the honey, salt, and shortening in a large bowl and pour the scalded milk over them. While that mixture is cooling, stir the dry yeast into the warm (105-110°F, or "wrist" temperature) water until it softens and dissolves. Add the yeast preparation to the now lukewarm milk mix, then stir in the celery or caraway seed, sage, and nutmeg before beating in the eggs and 2 cups of the whole wheat flour.

Once everything is blended well, continue adding flour until you've used a total of 6 to 7 cups (when the dough begins to form a ball and "cleans" the sides of the bowl, you've used enough). Then oil your hands, turn the mass out onto a lightly floured board, and knead it for 5 to 10 minutes until it's smooth and elastic. Put the dough into a clean, oiled bowl, turning it so that all sides are slicked . . . cover the container with greased wax paper and a thin cloth . . . and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size.

Now, punch down the risen mound, knead it again, and shape it. Put the loaves into two greased 4-1/2" X 8-1/2" pans, cover them lightly with a clean dish towel, and let them rise again until they've almost— but not quite!—doubled in bulk. Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for about 45 minutes (it should be nicely browned and make a hollow sound when tapped). Five minutes or so before you expect the loaves to be done, brush the tops with beaten egg white or milk to give them a soft shine.

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