French Bread

Here's a true story.  Last year my husband took our two oldest boys on a 'mancation' to hike around in Colorado.  The boys called me from the road laughing like lunatics, barely able to contain themselves, talking right over the top of each other to be the first to tell me that their dad had bought them white bread.  As if he had just bought them each a 24-pack of Mountain Dew.  Liter-size.  As if he said "let's skip the Rockies" and let them spend a day at mini golf with bumper cars and an arcade with an unlimited pile of quarters.  As if they had just broken every rule about using a fork and napkin and saying 'excuse me.'  My kids are crazy like that.  Total rebels. 

But it's true, I'm a little freakish about bread.  I never buy white bread.  Ever.

Ev-er. 

Far better than buying the whole-wheat-no-high-fructose-corn-syrup-no-artificial-colors-no-artificial-flavors-no-dye-no-nothing-bad bread is just making my own.  There is something so homey and so nurturing about making it.  And I can't imagine my kids fighting over the last piece of white bread like they fight over the last pieces of a warm loaf fresh from the oven.  They know good stuff when they have it.

It's true, making bread takes time.  It doesn't stay fresh as long.  Something about the total lack of preservatives, I guess.  Just some yeast, some flour, some water, and a little bit of salt and oil.

And of course, time for it to rise.

Roll it out, roll it up, and brush it with a simple egg white wash for color.

And walla.  A gorgeous loaf of French bread--sans WalMart.  Sans crap you can't pronounce.  

It slices like a dream, and it's super good plain, with jam, honey, or slathered in garlic butter.

Here's the end of that same story.  A few days later, on their weary journey home, whey they were tuckered out from fresh air and hiking and processed meat and white bread, they called me from the road and said "Mom, I really miss your cooking."

Take that, Wonder Bread.

French Bread
Slightly adapted from this recipe from Allrecipes 

1 pkg (2.25 tsp) yeast
1 cup very warm water
3 cups bread flour
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp sugar
3 tsp. canola oil
1 T corn meal
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Pour warm water into a glass bowl and sprinkle with sugar and yeast.  Whisk, then allow the yeast to proof for about ten minutes.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt.  When yeast has risen, whisk in the oil and pour into flour.  Beat on low speed until dough has formed.  If you have a food processor, use the dough hook and allow the machine to knead the bread for about 8 minutes.  If you don't have a food processor, roll up your sleeves and go at it for the same amount of time.  Lightly grease (with butter or canola oil) a large glass bowl.  Form the dough into a ball, place the ball into the bowl, and roll once so all sides of the dough are slightly covered.  Cover and allow to rise in a warm dry location until doubled in size, about an hour and a half.  On a lightly floured surface, press or roll dough into a 9 x 12 shape.  Roll the dough so it forms a 12 inch long log.  Slice three slits into the top.  Sprinkle the cornmeal onto a baking sheet and move the dough onto the cornmeal to prevent it from sticking to the pan.  Brush the dough with the egg white mixture.  Spray a length of saran wrap with nonstick cooking spray, and gently drape the saran wrap--sprayed side down--onto the top of the loaf to prevent it from drying out.  Allow the loaf to rise a half hour.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the bread for 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Allow to cool until warm to the touch, then slice and enjoy!