Hearthkeepers and The Home

For me, my devotion to Hestia is very tied to the kitchen (which is no surprise), and with that is the obvious care of family and friends and the extension of hospitality.  I am known for my “feeding of the masses” at gatherings….and the baking of one dozen cookies every winter holiday for each the 550 soldiers my husband was in charge of for the past two years.

I love food.  The creation of it soothes my soul and brings me closer to my goddess.  I actually crave making meals from scratch and stocking a pantry full of canned goods from my own garden.  The very act of it grounds my spirit in ways I can’t even begin to explain.

Let me share with you my bread recipe.  Ten year ago, when I had my farm and was able to spend the time to make bread by hand, I made approximately 3 2-pound loaves a week.  There was a tribe to feed and 4 families of single parents gathered several times a week for shared meals.  These days, sadly, the farm is gone and my schedule is more hectic.  I don’t always have the time to make bread by hand … but my bread machine does an adequate job of making dough.

 

1 1/2 cups warm water

4 1/2 cups unbleached flour (I use a high-gluten bread flour, such as King Arthur brand)

2 tablespoons honey (I use buckwheat honey when I do my baking. It may or may not be to your taste. I can be a bit “bitter” for some)

2 teaspoons sea salt (I put the salt off in a corner of my bread machine so it doesn’t mix with the yeast right away and kill it)

3 1/2 tablespoons powdered milk

2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

Pile all this in your bread machine and put it on the “dough only” cycle. Get out your baking stone and grease with a bit of EVOO and sprinkle some cornmeal on it. Heat oven to 375° F. Place your baking stone on stove top where the oven heat releases to warm it up. When your dough is done, take it out and turn it out onto the baking stone. Cut two 1-inch slits into the top of the dough so it can rise further. Let it sit on the stove top for another 20 minutes. Reopen slits and baste with an egg/water glaze (1 egg, 1 tablespoon water; scramble, apply with pastry brush). Pop into the oven for 22 minutes (or until bread is browned to your liking; I’ve found over various moves that ovens vary). When you take it out of the oven, let it cool on a rack. Slices best when completely cool.

Basic easy bread… in a two-pound loaf. This pairs beautifully with red pepper and basil infused extra-virgin olive oil.

Infused Olive Oil

 Ingredients:

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 cup fresh basil, minced

1/8 cup red pepper flakes

5 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until herbs begin to sizzle.  Allow to fully cool.  Transfer to a container and store in the fridge.  Warm to room temperature before serving.  Lasts upwards of 2 weeks in the fridge, though ours never sticks around for more than a couple days or so before it’s gone! Warning: This is super spicy!

Enjoy!  And the next time someone throws out that tired Marie Antoinette line about cake tell them to sod off, this bread’s much better!