The weekly “little of this, little of that” feature here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
Around this time of year, three years ago, I shared with you about how my bread baking had been progressing.
At this point, baking my basic loaves is so second nature to me that I don't think about it much from week to week. I bake either three or four loaves at a time and those are our breakfast toast, our sandwich slices, and our dinner bread-and-butter bread. It's just a basic part of life (as bread has always been for most people)!
Flour, water, yeast, salt, olive oil. So simple, and yet some days are better than others.
Here's a recent batch:
The loaf on the left had one more kneading than the loaf on the right. (Here's how to braid your bread efficiently.)
Much nicer than that original batch in the link above, right?
This week's links!
On frankness, open conversations, and standing up for the truth in all circumstances:
- This piece about Small Acts of Cowardice is indicting. I bet that most of us can think of a situation in which it seemed easier to just let the thing slide than to raise a fuss at the particular moment… “maybe next time I'll say something…”
- Here's an awesome story of a strong woman who can perhaps be a patron for us to our efforts to stand up against people who want to control our thoughts or force falsehoods upon us: The Tough Nun Nurse who Stood Up to the Nazis
- How we phrase our thoughts matters, too: truth is not just a matter of “feelings!” Stop Saying “I Feel Like.”
- This is from a business context, but I think the principles could be helpful in a marriage and/or family context: Create a Culture where Difficult Conversations Aren't So Hard. Relatedly, the advice that The Artist and I received at our marriage-prep conference was that positive-to-negative feedback ratio should be 20:1!
- And let's not forget that yes, there can be an organized regime for undermining all culture, orchestrated indeed by someone with an evil agenda! Creative Destruction – this is why what we say on a daily basis matters.
Miscellaneous:
- Are you a mollusk enthusiast? Or just wondering about the holes in stones on the beach? Piddocks – anything but boring.
- If you're in the mood for an exciting, detailed birth story, I think you'll enjoy The Birth of Maeve Cecelia from my friend Nicole.
This coming Thursday, if you are able, join the Congregation of St. Gregory the Great for Solemn High Mass in the Ordinariate Use!
In the Liturgical Year:
- Today is the feast of St. Eugene de Mazenod
From the Archives:
Mrs. B. says
If you don’t mind, I’ll have a slice from either loaf: one might be plumpier, but they both look like it would be a shame if they lasted more than 20 minutes!
I love David Warren, but had forgotten him for some time, so thank you for reminding me! I often wonder how we can be so ignorant and obtuse, donning Che Guevara t-shirts, or carelessly speaking of all the good things Mao has done for China… And did Warren write the piece thinking that Mao is a hero for many people in our own political and cultural establishment? Are they dreaming they could do the same, perhaps in a cleaner, more hygienic way? Perhaps they are trying to best him, as even Mao, I think, didn’t think of going beyond human nature…
And finally thank you for the piddock link! It is amazing how boundless, abundant, and generous God’s creativity is! Even something as tiny and seemingly unimportant as that is made beautiful and interesting – and it didn’t have to be! The children found a piece of robin’s egg the other day, and I told them, Can you believe a bird’s egg, something no one is really supposed to see but the bird, and us by accident, is bestowed by God this amazing color? And how awesome, and even mysterious!, that this is true for the smallest things, like a piddock, and the biggest things as well, like the sky…
Emily says
Do you have a recipe for your bread? It looks delicious!
Deirdre says
Emily, I’m afraid I don’t have anything written down to share, nor would it be easy to write it down. But I might try to photography my way through it sometime soon so that I can do a show and tell. But the way I make bread is very much like the pizza dough recipe here: http://www.likemotherlikedaughter.org/2014/09/auntie-leila-makes-pizza-in-photos-part-1/. It’s very simple as far as ingredients and process; it’s just a matter of getting a feel for things and knowing what you’re looking for!
Janet says
Do you freeze your bread when you make a batch? If so, before or after baking?
Thanks.
Deirdre says
Hi Janet! I do freeze my bread – after baking. I let the loaves cool and then pack away the bulk of the batch in bags and put them in the freezer. Then I pull them out one at a time to defrost, a few hours before they’re needed or, in a pinch, I wrap them in tin foil and pop them in a low-heat oven to defrost more quickly. One batch is good for one week in our little family, give or take a little.
Janet says
Thank you Diedre. That’s good to know.
I really enjoy reading your posts.
God bless.
Anel says
Deirdre, your bread looks lovely! Must be sooo satisfying/gratifying..
one question: how do you not eat one whole loaf when it’s fresh out of the oven?! It has to be pure deliciousness!! You and your husband indeed have iron wills..
Thanks for all the interesting links.
Deirdre says
Thanks, Anel! I must admit that we can easily go through the better part of a loaf when it’s fresh out of the oven! 🙂
Nicole says
Thanks for the link, Deirdre!! You know all about precipitous birth too…! 🙂 Good thing you had already planned on being at your mom’s!
Deirdre says
Haha yes… I have to say that planned home birth seems like the way to go to me!