brunch by the pool + N’s basic bread recipe
A longstanding tradition of ours is brunch. (Dating back to our very first dates. Dawww.) Every weekend we’re together we cook Sunday brunch, even if it has to be squeezed before/after other obligations.
The very first brunch ever (in March, after N/B’s collective birthday, on Lundi Gras morning) was German pancakes with honey and lime and iced tea (sugary sweet, of course). Unfortunately there are no pictures of this momentous initiatory brunch moment of our relationship history; the next best thing is this poolside brunch orchestrated by B in April:
according to N’s year-planner, this was officially brunch #3.
N by the brunch and the pool.
B not holding still for the camera and wearing a silly Hawaiian shirt.
This brunch included eggs over easy (two each), 3 links of sausage, a vegetable hash (consisting of potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and…..other things, knowing B), some broccoli-cheese soup (recipe from Cooks’ Illustrated, B’s subscription), N’s basic bread, fresh strawberries, strawberry and apricot jam, coffee, and mimosas with orange juice and champagne. Probably the $6 kind you find at Winn-Dixie.
close-up. It looks lovely. It tasted lovely, too. Tablecloth, decanter full of orange juice, and presentation all by B.
And, since N cannot find a suitable online recipe, the recipe (from memory) that she uses for then “whenever-I-want-bread-the-next-day” kinda bread:
(picture from august 2010. Been making this bread for a year and a half now, and not disappointed us yet!)
Everyday Bread
(adapted from reading a bunch of online slow-rise recipes, none of which a quick google can reveal, so it’s not like she’s stealing an idea that belongs to anyone…)
- 6 c flour (usually 4c white and 2c wheat, if we have wheat)
- 3 c warm water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 package (or 2 tbsp if you buy the jar like N) yeast
Activate yeast by adding to 1c warm water—very warm tap water is usually fine. Wait for it to start foaming so you know it’s active; if it takes a few minutes, feel free to add a tbsp or so of sugar to the water, give a good stir, and give it more time.
(fun fact from N’s cell and molecular biology major: yeast, also known as saccharomyces cerevisiae, metabolize glucose and lactose, so you can prep yeast in sugar or milk! Sugar, however, will be much faster, as yeast only process lactose when there’s no glucose present. For details, go to a genetics class during the lac operon lecture.)
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Add the activated yeast/water mixture, as well as the remaining 2c warm water, and stir until incorporated. Dough will be clumpy and not very wet.
Coat the top of the dough with a dusting of flour and cover the bowl in saran wrap. Allow to sit overnight (at least 6 hours, if you do it in the morning for bread a night). Dough should double in size. (At this point, feel free to eat the raw dough off the spoon. N always does and it is always more delicious than you think it will be.)
When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 450 F. Punch dough down and divide in half. If you want, you can roll into two balls and place onto a floured cookie sheet, or flour two loaf pans and drop balls into each. N’s done both successfully.
Bake for 35-35 minutes until top is browned and outside is crusty. Take it out and eat immediately, because for four ingredients this is some crazy good bread.
