Most of you probably don’t know that I make 100% of the bread/baked goods that I eat. Really! Absolutely everything from the pita in my pita chips to the breakfast cookies I eat with my coffee every morning… it comes out of my oven.
I’ve been like this for a few years now. Just before I was about to uproot from my hometown and move across the country for the first time, I had this fantasy that I could always have these beautiful, artisanal loaves of bread in my kitchen… perfect for tearing or slicing or just staring at. I had always been addicted to food shows on television, and remembered the early morning sunlight shining through the kitchen windows of the small-time bakers around the world, and it appealed to me on not only an aesthetic and culinary level, but on a sustainability level. I can control every aspect of the bread I make, myself… The origin, the texture, the freaking species of plant my bread’s ingredients originated from, etc. A control freak’s paradise, I tell you.
I went back and forth for a while on where to share this piece of my life, because the truth is that this side of me fits our sister site, Broke & Beautiful, as well. The cost of making your own bread is reason enough for a full conversion. I eventually decided to put it here because my pride rests in my own self-reliance, and the the fact that I brought a sustainable habit into my life and it became a passion. When I’m rolling out my weekly pita stash, (okay, this is a little embarrassing) I smile when I think about all of the plastic that isn’t involved in this process, the non-biodegradable bags that I’ll never have to buy or deal with, the energy I’m saving, and the peace of mind I have knowing that the only things that went into these things were: organic flour, organic olive oil, himalayan sea salt, yeast, and water.
So, okay, big emotional coming-of-age story aside, my bread is currently pretty under-appreciated. Not in the way that it doesn’t get eaten – I live with a man who has a high metabolism. I mean it’s not cared for in the way it should be. It’s unceremoniously wrapped in plastic wrap, wrapped in foil and shoved in the cupboard or the freezer until further notice. It kind of bums me out, you know? Anyone who makes bread will tell you that you have to love your bread in order to put as much work into it as is necessary. The kneading that breaks your arms (or legs, if you’re hardcore like that), the mixing-with-a-wooden-spoon-because-you-don’t-believe-in-mixers-are-”necessary” cramping… You really have to be at least a little bit passionate about it in order to go through all of that, you know?
I’ve decided to treat my bread a little better. If I could give bread one present, ever – it would be a bread box, obviously! If you could give someone a house with minimal investment on your end, wouldn’t you do it? You would totally do it. Don’t even lie.
French Country Bread Box with Vintage Handle from Honey’s Treasures
The best things about bread boxes:
- They are pretty.
- They can be handmade by amazing, creative people!
- They keep your bread hidden and secret…?
- They are not that expensive!
- They are free-standing, and can be used to help give your kitchen some style!
- You will impress your friends when you know how big a breadbox actually is.
Wooden Bread Box by Skettis Woodworks
Shabby Chic Bread Box from Honey’s Treasures
Confidential to those who fear bread-baking (or baking of any kind)…
Suck it up and try it already! It’s not as scary as you think it is, and it’s a bit harder to mess it all up than you’d expect. If you want an awesome, whole grain recipe to try out for your first time, King Arthur’s Flour has an excellent one! You don’t even have to knead anything!
Have you ever tried making your own bread?
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