We're thinking of buying a bread machine. We don't have one. We're kind of snooty about bread - we love yuppie bakeries, of which we have a plethora here in the 'Gene. But at the same time there's nothing like fresh and homemade, or at least so say our cocooning instincts.
So my question to those of you who have bread machines is: are they worth it? Does the bread that comes out of it satisfy a snooty bread eater? Can you make the same variety of bread in one that you can get in a yuppie bakery? (Sourdough? Seedy? Olive bread? Potato-flour bread? Etc.?) Is it cheaper to get the ingredients and make it in a bread machine than to buy a loaf from a yuppie bakery?
Any advice on makes and features?
I have no advice because I make Eric do it all from scratch. I'm a slave driver.
ReplyDeleteBut olive bread? What is this? Is it good? Should I have Eric make me some?
It's something one of our local bakeries does (http://eugenecitybakery.com/bread.htm# check the one on the far left second from the top). A ciabatta with extra olive oil and sliced kalamata olives. It's good, although clearly it would be for select applications only. I don't think butter or jam would work on it...
ReplyDeleteAnd: I see. What we really need to get is not a bread machine, but an Eric! Do they make them anymore?
ReplyDeleteI grew up making my own bread from scratch, and my extremely picky mother (and others) said I was good at it, so, bearing that in mind, I think it is a good investment. Really, unless you, yourself, are a professional bread baker, the machine will suit your needs.
ReplyDeleteYou can make just about any kind of bread with one, and you can use it to make rice, but I hear you have a super awesome rice cooker for that! For things with fruit, nuts, olives, etc, there is a setting where it tells you when to add said ingredients. Dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, braided loaves, etc, have a setting where you take the dough out and form your shapes and finish in the oven.
Now, all breads will come out the same shape in the bread machine, so you may get a loaf of something that tastes just as good as in the yuppie bakery, but it will be a different shape.
Also, of course, there is a learning curve, but compared to the money you are spending at that bakery, it is worth it.
I recommend the cookbook Cherilyn has: Better Homes and Gardens (who else?) Bread Machine Bounty: More than 100 Recipes for your bread machine.
As per models, I cannot make a recommendation. Cherilyn's was a college graduation gift, and thus been around for a while. My Dad's was older yet. Regardless, I put my nose in the air at the idea of a bread machine when I was in high school and my Dad brought it home. I've now been humbled!
Good luck!