bread

[thundercrack]

I saw the question from barmyarmy, and wonder if anyone knows why home made bread NEVER tastes like shop bought bread. what do they do that we don't do?
and why does my wholemeal bread come out like high density concrete slabs? and, has anyone noticed, that when you try to feed home made bread to the ducks, they won't eat it? ( mind you, no body in my house will eat it either) BUT, I can make good nan bread, but you can't make sandwiches with that.
doristhundercrack.

[Cugetit]

Hi thundercrack. We haven't met but I just spotted "bread". Many many moons ago, when I first left school I started out as pastrycook and bread maker and stuck with it for about a year. I continued with both skills for many years after coming out of the trade. Visitors to our house would be full of compliments for the fresh bread and doughnuts and ask for the recipe. I would explain that to make it was easier than falling off a horse .... mind you, I have never tried the latter. Invariably, when we next met the would-be baker often greeted me with, "There it is. You eat it!!!" I would ask them to tell me exactly how they had made the "brick" and they would normally repeat exactly the instructions I had given them. I never did understand why but the only advice I can give is probably already within the regime you are following ...... make sure the water added to the flour and salt is warm but not hot enough to kill the yeast. Leave the dough to prove in a warm place. Always buy the best, strong Canadian plain flour. Of course, I have assumed that you are making your bread the old fashioned way .... not in one of those modern bread makers. As for tasting different to shop bread. I often chat to the baker in our local Sainsbury's and I was grilling him yesterday, coincidentally. I asked if everything was automatic these days and the ingredients pre-weighed. I was very surprised to learn that he doesn't have to weight out a pound of salt or whatever. It comes in a pre-weighed pack and incorporates several additives, vitamins, preservatives, etc. This cleared up one thing that has mystified me for years ..... why bread seems to stay fresh for so much longer than it used to. Hope this is useful. God, I am tired out. Have a good one.

[thundercrack]

hi cugetit,
It is strange how some people seem to have the ability to make a perfect loaf, and others do it exactly the same way and it turns out like a house brick. I have tried adding a ground up vitiamin c tablet, water from boiled potatos, even an egg, but no good. I just don't have the bread makers equivilant of the gardeners green fingers.
regards.