What follows is a chronicle of Katie's First Attempt at Making Mom's Bread Which Will Show Whether She is Her Mother's Daughter or Whether She Will Hang Her Head in Defeated Shame. By telling this in the 3rd person, it will help Katie emotionally distance herself from the process in case of failure.
- Katie started to get all the ingredients out. She realized she didn't have them all. Trip to the store.
- Talked to her sister over Skype (the first of many times) to ask some questions. Mixed all the ingredients in and gradually added the flour. Doing OK so far.
- Um, mom's dough recipe really is for a bigger mixer than Katie's. The, uh, mixer is smoking a little. Yeah, had to stop it. Oh, and, kinda injured two fingers three separate times trying to get it to mix before it started smoking. Yes, there was drama.
Lessons Learned #1: figure out the math for just one or two loaves, not three.
- Since everything, at least, is mixed all together, finished kneading it by hand (well, with eight fingers since Katie's left thumb and pointer finger were bandaged). Will amputate wrists later. She hopes her mixer is OK.
- Dough is raising. Katie starts to blog about her experience since there has already been drama involved. She hopes it will be boring from now on.
- Time for loaves. She doesn't really remember what her mom does to get them in the pans. Involves a rolling pin, right? They need to rise again.
Lessons Learned #2: ask mom how to roll out bread dough. Sheesh.
- They're ready to go. They are not quite all the same size.
Lessons Learned #3: buy a food scale.
- She hopes her oven is not too hot. They're going in...
- Looking in the oven window half way through the cooking, Katie sees that holy crap the loaf in the middle is huge!
Lessons Learned #4: not kidding about that food scale.
- They're out! They're brown! They're only a little misshapen (except the middle one--it's really misshapen)! Katie managed not to burn herself taking them out, hurray!
- OK, about ready to cut into the first loaf with her brand spankin' new electric knife.
- Looking good so far. She raises the hot slice of bread (buttered and jammed, of course) to her lips and.............
- Mmmmmmmm. Good try. Better luck next time. Just kidding!! Katie says, "Wow! I made this! And it's good!!"
- Katie managed not to ruin them. It tastes almost as good as her mother's.
- Katie believes she has taken her first successful step on the journey of her bread-making future. Life will never be the same.
OK, I think this quest was successful enough to speak in first person again. It was worth the pain and trouble and should be easier the next time I make it--hopefully with less injuries. But the next time is cinnamon rolls, obviously.
I'll save clean up for tomorrow. My fingers hurt. And there's bread to be eaten.
