BREAD MACHINE

WRITTEN BY REX

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I WON A PORTABLE DVD PLAYER FOR THE BACKSEAT OF MY CAR. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN IN THE BACKSEAT OF MARY’S CAR, BUT IT’S MORE LIKE THE BACK OF MY PICK-UP THAN THE BACKSEAT OF A CAR. ANYWAY WE RETURNED IT TO WAL-MART FOR A GIFT CARD. WE USED THE GIFT CARD WHEN WE BOUGHT THINGS LIKE NEW RUGS FOR THE CAMPER, AND OTHER MISC. STUFF. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER I DECIDED TO GO TO WAL-MART AND BUY MYSELF A PRESENT WITH THE REMAINDER ON THE GIFT CARD. I BOUGHT A BREAD MACHINE!!!


“A BREAD MACHINE?”, WAS ABOUT ALL MARY COULD SAY………..


WE USE THE BREAD MACHINE OFTEN, AND OUR SWEET POTATO BREAD MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH. ONION BREAD IS ANOTHER FAVORITE AND MAKES THE BEST TOASTED CHEESE SANDWICH ANYWHERE, MARY DOES A “CHUNKY” BREAD ONCE IN AWHILE. “CHUNKY” BREAD IS NIKKI’S ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF MULTIGRAIN HEALTH TYPE BREAD. IN FACT AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF, THE MACHINE MALFUNCTIONED AND WE REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE FROM BED, BATH, & BEYOND.


BAKING AT DIFFERENT ALTITUDES IN THE WEST IS A CHALLENGE. LAUGHLIN IS 600 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL AND LAKE TAHOE IS 6300 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL. WE FOUND BAKING BREAD AT LAKE TAHOE IMPOSSIBLE. THE VARIABLES ARE MANY, ALTHOUGH THE MACHINE REMOVES MANY OF THEM, SUGAR, SALT, AND YEAST ARE THE REMAINING TOP THREE. THE SUGAR FEEDS THE YEAST. SALT STOPS THE YEAST. WE CONTACTED A LOCAL BAKER THIS SPRING TO GET HIS SUGGESTION, WHICH WAS TO REDUCE THE YEAST BY 20%. WISH US LUCK.


LAST SUMMER AT THE LAKE AFTER GIVING UP ON BREAD, WE SURVIVED ON ENGLISH MUFFINS. THE RECIPE WAS GIVEN TO US BY DIANE, A LADY FROM WISCONSIN THAT WINTERS AT BLACKSTONE RV PARK.

(yes, Nikki & Amy, you read this post last spring)