White Bread ...and it's soo good :)

Day two of bread making and it was just as good as yesterdays!  I'm wondering now if bread isn't just the best smell EVER!! ;)  We made White Bread today using the straight dough method. That means it's a one stage method where everything goes into the mixing bowl.  Tomorrow we will also be making White Bread but using the Sponge method instead. The sponge method requires two stages. I will let you know how that goes tomorrow.

I didn't realize that there are as many breads out there as there are cookies and cakes!  All kinds of flavors and methods to making them. Fun! I love it. There are also all kinds of bread shapes. Today's bread was not rolled to the shape of a baguette, but of a batard instead. I didn't quite get the shaping on this one, but one of my partners did and it turned out beautiful! Here, I will show you hers:

See, it was totally blog worthy ;) Way to go Andrea! :) :) I am also enjoying working with a new set of girls. Its cool to mix it up and work with different people. That's how it will be in the industry, so may as well practice as we go. We will be making a different shape tomorrow so I will not be able to practice this one again until next week. Here is what the dough should be shaped like before it turns into the beauty above:

I was laughing because a few people saw what mine was shaping into and well.. lets just say I nicknamed mine the baby whale.  :) Just so you know,  the chef said it was supposed to be the shape of a football.. yea... exactly!!

White bread is made of flour, yeast, water, sugar, shortening and salt. Its just amazing how using the same ingredients or adding a few different ingredients, creates such a different flavor and texture.  I am really looking forward to making all the other breads, ESPECIALLY the croissants. :) :)  I really do believe its hard to make a "damn good" croissant. BUT, in all fairness, we learned today that in order to save $$, different variations in FAT are used in place of butter. Butter is super expensive so to cut the costs down, they put shortening and other fats in its place. Anyhow, I hope and cross fingers we are making those with butter!

I am off to read and do some soul searching! Life takes its turns and tumbles, but you have to keep going and make the best of every day. I truly believe that. I live it EVERY DAY!!  I spend half my time at my parent's home and then the other half on my brother and his fiance's comfy couch!  :) I have a bag of clothes here, clothes over at the other place, books in one place, personal belongings in the other.. it's not easy, but I'm grateful for all of it!  In other words, I keep my head held high.  Its always worth it, the hard work, the sacrifices, it really is all worth it.  Thank you so very much for reading and I will see you here tomorrow!

Ta Ta!!