The Breadman

Picture it, Bed, Bath and Beyond, spring 2004. A newly engaged girl and that super sweet zapping gun with over 10,000 products from which to add to her registry. Of course, a bread machine was a must-have. Afterall, bread is fantastic, usually square and soft. It goes well with lots of foods, and even tastes good on it's own, similar to it's cousin, the cracker. But crackers are dry, and bread is like a pillow for your mouth.

With glee and confidence in my bread machine necessity, I zapped "The Breadman" bread machine.

Fast forward to summer 2007. After three years of the man's sweet teasing regarding all the bread we have made (in the bread maker!), I have finally attempted to use the machine. Here is the inaugural recipe (from www.allrecipes.com):

Crusty Potato Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

DIRECTIONS

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer, which is: water, salt, butter, flour, flakes, sugar, yeast.
   
2. Select White Bread Cycle; press Start.

Point of information (POI)!
State your point.
POI: When using salt in a recipe in bread machine, add the salt with the liquid. The order of adding ingredients is important, especially when using the timer, because it keeps the yeast away from the liquid until it's time to knead them together. Liquid will activate the yeast.

THIS IS SO EXCITING!