I should never have made a promise (or a statement) I couldn’t stick to.  I failed greatly at my blogging last week, which will hereby be known as the “Week of Bread.” But actually, the Week of Bread was something of a triumph, if  an undocumented one and from the looks of it this summer will be full of homemade boules.

In fact, my oven is beeping right now.  I just check, my semolina needs 3 more minutes.  The top is nicely brown and the diagonal score mark I cut just before baking has opened and allowed the loaf to rise.

I have always loved the concept of making my own bread for a lot of reasons.  First, it makes my house smell great, second, it’s incredible cheap and third it is therapeutic.  This all being said, it can be a time consuming activity.  Last summer I remember being late to an event or to meet a friend on more than on occasion due to rising or baking loaves.

Not so this year.  I’ve discovered a method developed by Zoë François and Jeff Hertzberg in their book “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day”.  The central idea is bread making should be easy, fun, and non-intimidating. (My oven just went off again, the bread is done and cooling now.)

This summer, my family is not buying any artisan bread from the grocery store or a bakery.  Why would we? At $4.99 a loaf the “artisan breads aren’t’ worth it when I’m creating the same thing for about a $1.25. (yes, I did the calculations, and the yeast is the most expensive part.)

Thus far and the week of bread, we have eaten Italian Boule, Sourdough, Whole Wheat and Semolina. The semolina is my favorite. This loaf that came out today was cakey and delicious.  The only problem I am encountering (other than the stomach ache that follows eathing a whole loaf) is a slightly dough bottom.  I think I figured it out tonight: finer milled cornmeal to slide the dough into the hot oven. Tomorrow I’m giving it a go with flour instead.

This method is something I’m going to bring back to Northwestern in the fall.  When I’m not at home my baking stone goes unused so I’m taking it with me.  Talk about a way to make friends. Fresh bread anyone?