I tend to focus most of my baking on sweets: cakes, cookies, cupcakes, ice creams, etc. Since I don't really eat what I make, I like to give it away, those extra lbs. have fortuitously been kept at bay. But lately I've been yearning to bake something different. Something that I don't normally make and would actually want to keep for myself. Something like....
bread!
There's nothing better than a slice of warm, crusty bread with a smear of creamy butter. So simple, so straightforward, so delicious.
I'd heard about a bread that requires almost no-kneading and is baked in a
Dutch oven. Mark Bittman was the first to write about it in the New York Times and then Cook's Illustrated came along and made their little tweaks, as they do so well, and improved upon the recipe.
This bread is so easy to make you wouldn't believe it. It literally takes less than 5 minutes of prep and the rest of the time is spent letting the dough rise and then baking it in the oven. Be forewarned: the smell of fresh baked bread permeates throughout your house like a drug. This bread is crusty, chewy and has great texture; all it needs is your favorite topping.
Now to the giveaway...
The people at CSN Stores contacted me recently to see if I wanted to participate in a giveaway. I checked out their websites to make sure everything was legit and I wholeheartedly give them my seal of approval. It's a great source for just about anything, especially cookware and bakeware.
So what's up for grabs? A
$40 CSN gift certificate.
Why not use it to get your own Dutch oven and bake some of this bread? Me, I'm partial to Le Creuset.
To enter, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post by 12pm PST Friday August 20th. The winner will be chosen randomly.
What's your favorite bread and how do you like to eat it?
FYI: One comment per person and you must include your email address to be eligible. CSN only ships to addresses in the US and Canada. There may be international shipping charges for Canadian addresses.
Good Luck!
