Bread

I have a friend that makes the BEST bread. When I asked how she made it so told me she had a Zojirushi bread machine and it was the best. I went home to find out how crazy expensive those are! I was looking at $75-100 for a used one.

That was over a year ago. I have been frequenting my local Goodwill, about once a week, fingers crossed that I would find one. They always have at least 3 bread makers, but never what I was looking for. Two days ago I stopped by, almost not going to the back to check, but I decided to..... I almost squealed when I saw that bad boy sitting there!

This baby cost me all of $6!!!!!!

I went home, cleaned it up and made the best bread I have ever made!

I'm still over the moon about it and wanted to share my joy over a bread machine! Lol!

a reply to: chelsdh

I think that is wonderful! I like good news like this...I also like (good deals) and this one is one of the best. You have inspired me...now I am going to go thrift shopping around the different stores in my city (I haven't done this for quite a while)... and I will just keep going back like you did.

a reply to: chelsdh

Good for you. I'm quite partial to freshly made warm bread with a lovely crust and soft inner. Plus the aroma is something else.

a reply to: chelsdh

How cool is that! Well good for you! Your persistence finally paid off. Have you tried making different breads yet? I am a lover of good bread and used to make mine from scratch. However I never owned a bread machine. If I could find one foe $6, I certainly would give it a try though.

a reply to: chelsdh

Wow that is cool - did the bread machine come with instructions, or do you just make it up as you go along? I always think about buying one, but I chicken out at the last minute because I am unsure of the recipes...is there something out there like a universal recipe for bread?

Good Baking to you!

Good find on the bread machine but if you truly love to make bread you will hopefully progress to hand making.

To those that have no bread maker I urge you to make it by hand, let it prove naturally and bake in the oven. You may have a few mishaps along the way but there is no greater feeling.

If anyone is interested I will give some instructions on flat breads and unleavened breads which are by far the easiest way to make both amazing breads and your belly swell with pride, not to mention the jaws of those around you to drop.

Heres to bread! we have been making this stuff for a long time. It's not rocket science

a reply to: EnigmaAgent
So far I have made 4 loaves, and my house has smelled AMAZING!!!
No more wax warmers to scent the house!

a reply to: aboutface

I haven't attemptes anything other than white yet, but I am about to see what I can create!

a reply to: Missmissie173

This machine happened to come with a basic recipe on it, so that is what I have been using. However, I found the manual online, which also has some recipes. I think most bread recipes can be adapted, if one knows how, but I don't yet so I'll stick to ones that are specific to machines.

My sister abuses the crap out of her bread machine. When her first one finally gave up the ghost last year, my folks and my husband and I pooled our resourced at Christmas and got her a really nice replacement one.

If you get into making your own bread, they are really, really worth having. Congratulations on your find!

a reply to: chelsdh

Most machines have a mix and knead setting so you can bake more interesting shapes in the oven aftr proving.

Good luck and remember it's only flour and a bit of yeast, if it fails you have not lost a lot, if it works you are a hero.

a reply to: [post=19233608]nonspecific[/post
I actually started out making it by hand about 7 years ago. I had more time on my hands, as I only had one child then. However I never seemed to excel at it, my white loaves alway had super hard crusts and wheat turned into bricks

I tried all sorts of tricks, but the best bread I made without this machine was a crockpot sourdough. It was actually pretty good.

But, I would love instruction on your flatbreads! My girls would love to be all hands on with something like that!

I love fresh bread. It's the best and I make mine by hand though, flat breads, pizza dough ( fresh pizza ) and loaves. Honey/wheat bread is very good. I had a bread maker one time but gave it away, I have to feel the dough to know it's right.

You manifested that machine by sending out your thoughts for it and Expecting it to appear. I love these kinds of true stories. They do happen! They happen to me all the time. Great find, and who doesn't like saving money!?!

a reply to: nonspecific

If anyone is interested I will give some instructions on flat breads and unleavened breads

i'm interested

Good for you! I, too found one at a thrift shop and brought it home thinking to experiment with it. At the time that I found it I was working full time and was only home on weekends. The machine was brand new but the instruction manual was missing so my husband went online and found the manual which included recipes and printed it up. He was intrigued and a bit bored I suspect---it was his summer vacation---so he decided to try it. He began with French Bread, using the Dough setting and produced his first two loaves of the most delicious and lovely bread I'd ever seen. The smell of it baking greeting me on Friday evening when I arrived home. I knew I was in heaven.
That was in 2004 and we haven't bought a loaf of bread since he began. I use it for flatbreads, pizza crust and occasional dark, sweet breads but always just the Dough setting, then shaped and baked in the oven.
I've also used it to make blackberry jam with amazing success. Peach jam however, turned into peach syrup, still very usable on waffles and ice cream.

a reply to: chelsdh

My current bread-making method uses a desem (day-zum, a Flemish word) wholegrain bread recipe from the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book. That method is described in a website:

www.northwestsourdough.com...

Desem bread dough uses no added yeast. Wild yeasts are naturally symbiotic with whole grain wheat. Those beneficial organisms exist on the exterior of each grain of wheat. Be careful with grain storage, however ... neither the whole grain nor the bread flour should ever be frozen ... freezing kills all those beneficial organisms.

a reply to: Uphill

Thanks! I will check this out and see what I can do!

Ditch the bread - homemade or bought - the flour we get nowadays only causes us illness in the gut.

Not paranoid - absolutely true.

a reply to: and14263

I have started using organic spelt flour from my local hippy shop.

Would this work for you and?

I like the no-knead bread technique:

No Knead Bread

It makes good bread...but bread puts inches on me...