Not to be a copycat, but what's your FAVORITE BREAD?

[Randall Flagg]

I love a good Jewish rye and rosemary focaccia for paninis. Several others out there but I'll leave that to you.

[kentauros]

1. Pita, naan, ciabatta

I can make the first, haven't tried the third, but don't have a wood-fired clay dome oven to make naan ;)

[Randall Flagg]

9. I wouldn't dare trying to make any of them. But Ciabatta is one of my favs.

(another good panini bread)

Spinach, Mozzarella and Roasted Red Pepper Panini Recipe

No measurements have been given. Add all listed ingredients in quantities of your choice and according to your bread size. Add a lean roast beef or pastrami if so inclined.

Ingredients

Fresh or cooked Spinach
Grated or sliced mozzarella
Roasted red pepper strips
sliced black olives
Sprinkle of oregano, garlic powder and parsley
Salt and Pepper

Two slices of a good artisan bread
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Brush the outside of your bread with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme and light garlic before pressing.

[kentauros]

17. Thanks for that recipe :)

although I wouldn't be adding any meat ;)

Here's my recipe thread for pita. Sorry about the broken links for the images; I have been trying to get my photobucket account organized...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=66956

[hippywife]

2. That's looking just

a tad underdone there.

[Randall Flagg]

3. It is... But after the panini press....

YUMMY!

[hippywife]

6. I just thought you might

need to check your oven temp.

[flvegan]

4. Ezekiel bread.

Best bread I've ever had.

[Kali]

5. tortillas

followed by a really good sourdough, but bread is a real weakness for me, I don't think I have ever had any I didn't like. even injera, although normally I do NOT care for wet or soggy bread - I don't even like gravy on biscuits:rofl:

[Randall Flagg]

11. Well, you would hate spoon bread and bread pudding.

Me? I love bread soggied down with a good gravyl

[Kali]

12. gag - I don't even like to touch it

like if there is a piece of wet crust in the sink I get all grossed out

I put butter on the biscuits and eat the gravy with a spoonB-)

could never eat dumplings - they seem like something that should be fried in hot oil, not boiled in stew

[Randall Flagg]

13. Oh, Kali, you poor thing. Gnoccis, perogies, Kloß, Spätzle...

Once, I didn't like okra or oysters...

[Kali]

15. I can do pasta!

Isn't Spätzle just small noodles? Gnocci too?

[Randall Flagg]

16. Smaller than what many would consider an American "dumpling."

but I wouldn't consider them noodles.

Wiki's got better than expected info on the topic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumpling

[AwakeAtLast]

7. Marble Rye

My local store runs out almost as soon as they get it. Yummy! :9

[OrwellwasRight]

8. All breads are carbs, what's not to like?

Except for sourdough. Which is sour. Bleck.

[Ohio Joe]

10. It all depends

Salami - A good jewish rye
Turkey - Potato bread
Roast beef - Sub roll
PB&J - White
Reuben - Marble Rye
Dipping in marinara - Garlic French bread

I could go on but you get the idea.

[AsahinaKimi]

14. MERON PAN!!!

Mellon bread, its yummy!

[kentauros]

18. So how is that made?

It kind of reminds me of Chinese steam-buns, especially those with the sweet bean filling :9

[AsahinaKimi]

19. Meron pan is baked and store bought..

メロンパン!!
I like melon bread (melonpan, melon pan, meronpan, etc. It goes by many names). The thing about Japan is that they just don't do things like anyone else. In america bread is simply bread, most of it is frozen and shipped to bakeries so they can heat it up, or simply made at a factory but it's still just bread. And recognizably so.

Japan's a little different. They fill their bread with pudding for example, or this wierd, unidentifiable cream stuff, or will cover it in chocolate or some other such thing. Of course, they still have the regular kind. There's a cute little show for children, Anpanman, which is about a bunch of superheroes with different bread for their heads. Anpanman, the main character, saves people and if anyone's starving he tells them to take a bite out of his face. Thankfully his head is replaceable, or they wouldn't have had much of a story. His name means literaly "bean paste bread man". Each of the characters also has their own little theme song which is beyond cute ^^ But I'll stop babbling; check out the link if you're interested.

Pan, in Japanese, means bread. And they have no spaces between words. Thus, melonpan is "melon bread". This is one of my favorite recipes. It's some work but it's definitely worth it.

1. Pan

- 1 packet dry yeast
- 1/4 c. water
- 1/4 tsp. sugar

***

- 1 + 3/4 c. flour
- 1/2 Tbs. salt
- 1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. + 1/4 tsp. sugar ^^
- 3 Tbs. butter
- 7/8 c. water

2. Topping
- 1 + 1/4 c. flour
- 1 pinch baking powder
- 2/3 c. butter
- 10 Tbs. sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 a lemon peel
- a little bit of melon essence*

* use pineapple extract if you can't find it

Part I:
1. Heat water to 100-110 F and add yeast and sugar. Let stand for around ten minutes.
2. Combine remaining bread ingredients in a bowl and add yeast. You'll probably have to add some more flour.
3. After you've added enough flour so that it isn't terribly sticky kneed it for 10-20 min. on a floured surface. Add more flour as needed.
4. Lightly grease the bowl and place the dough back in it, turning it over once to moisten the top. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 2 hours. Dough should at least double in bulk.
5. Punch dough and kneed lightly for 10 min. Pinch off walnut sized pieces and shape them into balls. Place on a cookie sheet and let rise in a warm place for 15 min.

Part II:
6. Mix all the ingredients for the cookie topping together. Sometimes it helps later on if you melt the butter.
7. Coat the bread rolls (which should be puffy now) with the cookie topping. If you've melted the butter it'll be a little easier...I usually just wash my hands really well and use them.
8. If you wish, sprinkle the top with sugar.
9. Bake at 350-375 F for 12-15 min., or until edges are slightly brown.
10. If you want them to have that mushy, just bought in Japan taste cover them individually with plastic wrap right after you take them out of the oven.

[kentauros]

22. Thanks for the recipe!

It sounds good, though you mentioned a link...
Also, While I agree that most American chain stores don't make good bread (Kroger for instance) we are lucky enough, in Texas anyway, to have a chain that excels at high-quality in-store baking (HEB). I'll go there just for their baked goods when I'm too lazy to make it myself. I just finished off a loaf of their kalamata olive bread today :9

Now some questions, and I hope it's not too many:

1. How many does this recipe make?
2. What kind of flour is best: All Purpose or Bread flour?
3. Is "half a lemon peel" the zest of half a lemon, or half of the peel of a lemon-slice? I ask, because I'm curious if the pith is meant to be used or just the zest.
4. Would foil instead of plastic wrap work just as well for the last step? I'm kind of cautious about placing plastic wrap on freshly baked goods...


By the way, you can call out "1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. + 1/4 tsp. sugar" as "4 tsp + 1/4 tsp. sugar" too. 1 Tbs = 3 tsp. And there are 2 Tbs per ounce, so 10 Tb = 1/2 c. + 2 Tbs or 5oz. :)

If you ever have to convert your recipes to American measurement standards, here are a couple of good sites for equivalents:
http://www.egglesscooking.com/baking-101/baking-measurements
http://www.breadexperience.com/baking-measurements.html

And if you want to go further, you learn the ratios: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=107019060 :D

If you haven't already, you might want to post this to the Cooking and Baking group.

I'll have to show this recipe to friends before I make it, or it will be just me eating them all!

[AsahinaKimi]

26. Meron Pan

1. How many does this recipe make?
one.

2. What kind of flour is best: All Purpose or Bread flour?
Either or.. bread flour preferably

3. Is "half a lemon peel" the zest of half a lemon, or half of the peel of a lemon-slice? I ask, because I'm curious if the pith is meant to be used or just the zest.

half a peal of lemon slice.

By the way, in Japan they also make this bread using Melon juice mixed in with the dough. Gives it a melon flavor.

4. Would foil instead of plastic wrap work just as well for the last step? I'm kind of cautious about placing plastic wrap on freshly baked goods...

Yes

[kentauros]

27. Okay, need just a little more clarification

but thanks for answering the others :)

"Pinch off walnut sized pieces and shape them into balls."

So, how many is that, approximately? ;)

[AsahinaKimi]

28. Sorry, I really don't recall how many it was...

I am sure if you just follow it, you will have a quite a few ..

[kentauros]

33. Okay, that's fine

:)

If I make it, I'll let you know...

[whistler162]

20. $100 unmarked!

[MiddleFingerMom]

21. A small Arizona (I think) chain bakery (Great Harvest Bread Co.)...

.
... makes a jalapeno-cheddar loaf that had SO many HUGE cubes of
cheddar in it that each slice was already a delicious sandwich in
and of itself. Nothing else needed -- not even condiments or butter.
.
Used to make them once a week... then went to "special-order"
status to have them add the jalapenos. Haven't been there for years.
.
Got into open-face ham sandwiches on pumpernickel in Germany with
just a thick schmear of butter on them.
.
Yum.
.
Once, we chartered a bus and 30-40 of us went to a small German
fruit-winemaking village. My buddy ordered a cheese sandwich and,
when it arrived, it was SO stinky that it went ALL the
way around the room and BACK to my friend who... after we begged
him... sat it outside on the windowsill near him.
.
Yuck.
.

[Forkboy]

23. I'm conservative in the bread area. I still think Scali goes best with all meals.

At least all meals I eat! :)

There is no bad bread though!

[asjr]

24. Challah

[proteus_lives]

25. Garlic and Naan.

[hobbit709]

29. A good crusty baguette or German sourdough rye.

[lunatica]

30. San Francisco Sourdough

Did you know you don't get drunk if you eat SF Sourdough bread before you drink?

[LiberalEsto]

31. Trader Joe's Tuscan Pane nt

[sarge43]

32. Sour dough

Hubster just baked a batch.

Excuse me. I must add some more hip padding.

[jobycom]

34. Good New Orleans French bread, but it's hard to find these days.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

35. Ukrainian style Babka....

The regular type, none of that fake flavored pastry style chocolate/cinnamon stuff.

Also sweet cornbread, and I like Hawaiian bread as well.