FAQ

Is this project over?
Yes.  Maybe you want some more blog action from me?  Try One Hundred Eggs.

Why every day?
I want to show people that baking bread can be an every day activity, as it has been for most of human history.  It doesn’t have to be stressful.  You don’t have to save it for a special occasion.

Why a year?
It’s a nice chunk of time.

Why take Sundays off?
I know that if I try to make bread for 365 days straight, I will probably fail miserably.  By giving myself a little break, I am helping guarantee my success, and the continuation of this blog.

Why bread?
Because when asked what my favorite thing to cook is, I invariably and without hesitation say, “Bread.”  People don’t bake bread often enough, and I think that’s a shame.  What used to be a daily activity is now merely an item on the shopping list.  I want to show people the simple magic and joy of baking your own bread.  I think the late Lionel Poilane, France’s famed baker, put it best: “Bread deals with living things, with giving life, with growth, with the seed, the grain that nurtures.  It is not coincidence that we say bread is the staff of life.”  Why wouldn’t I want to share that with others?

Just… why?
Mainly to see if I can.  It’s a challenge.

Do you even have a job?
Yes, I do.

You probably have all sorts of fancy equipment that I don’t, and can’t afford, right?
Not really.  I do have a KitchenAid mixer (thanks Mamaw and Papaw) and a FibraMent baking stone (thanks Aunt Janet) that were both gifts.  I subscribe to the Alton Brown school of thought on gadgets: no uni-taskers.  Besides, there’s not much room for extraneous things in a 550-square-foot condo.  I want to show that good bread is not only easy to make, but achievable without special equipment.  If the ancient Egyptians were making sourdough, then you can too.

What are your qualifications?
Though I don’t work in the culinary industry, I have an Associate’s of Baking and Pastry Arts from Sullivan University in Louisville, KY.  I have been baking bread in my home for years.   I’m currently self-employed as a Personal Chef.

What do you do with all that bread?
Some of it I eat, some of it I share, but most of it is was donated to a local soup kitchen.

2 Responses to FAQ

  1. Karen Johannes says:

    About a month ago I saw a recipe on your website that explained baking bread with starter yeast and I cannot for the life of me find it anywhere. Please help. Thanks.

  2. Beth says:

    Karen: Do you remember anything else about the recipe? There are lots of recipes on the site that use starters. I’d love to help you narrow it down!

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