I got a bread maker! And this is what I learned…
1) Do not set the delayed baking action timer to have the bread ready for you in the morning if you have two dogs who live only to protect you from loud kitchen demons. When the machine starts, they’ll freak, bark, run, growl and eventually lay on you.
2) don’t use yeast that is almost 3 years expired. If you do you will wake up to a very hard lump that smells like bread but is in every other way a breadlike stone.
3) it is a joy to make bread with a machine!
After my bread-lump disaster I headed to the store and bought new yeast. I made a loaf of focaccia to give to my dad to thank him for the machine and to thank him for driving me to the airport at 5 in the morning. Currently, I have a loaf of egg bread going in the machine. I hope the dog sitter likes egg bread!
When I get back I’ll make cinnamon rolls and focaccias and oatmeal molasses bread and cardamom, raisin, walnut bread….