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Bread making has been an important hobby for me. The seed was planted by my mother when I was a child. She would bake bread for most of our meals and would teach me how to knead the dough properly, pointing out its transformation from a sticky shaggy mess to a smooth elastic dough ball. Those fond memories flooded back when I started baking my own bread at home years ago. I started with yeasted breads, then shifted to sourdough or "naturally leavened" breads. The making of sourdough bread appeals to the chemist in me as there are innumerable variables to consider - flour composition, hydration level, temperature of the ingredients and environment, gluten development, shaping techniques, proofing time/temperature, scoring, and baking technique. In the past year I have baked well over 280 loaves (which would be about 1-2 days at a commercial bakery). Slowly, my skill level has been steadily growing. A primary joy of baking is to share the results with my family, friends, and yes, Rotarians. This year I have provided bread as our raffle prize at most meetings and it has become quite popular. I receive the satisfaction of sharing my creations and furthering my baking skills while the club benefits with additional funds for projects, It is a win-win situation. I am sure that many members of our club have special skills or hobbies which can be shared with membership. Give it thought and consider sharing your efforts as a raffle prize or as part of a club project for our community. We all have something to offer. |
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