Bread production is back in business! I think, with my current kitchen setup (no counters) and equipment (two large glass bowls and a variety of loaf pans), the most bread I could make in a day (when better rested than I am) is about 16 or so. If I had proper kitchen counters, more or larger bowls, and places to let bread cool that were cat free, I could probably make more than that. It’s going pretty quickly, once I get into the rhythm of it.
The initial 6 loaves are in the Box Room cooling, because they were still too warm and moist to wrap in plastic … and that’s the only cat-free place 6 loaves are guaranteed to go unmolested. It’s also the coldest room in the house. Almost as cold as it is outside right now. Should cool quickly in there! I need to get those cooled and packaged, because there are about to be 6 more loaves to do the same with! Even the Box Room doesn’t have enough flat space for 12 loaves of bread. :lol:
The kitchen will be a wreck once I am done, but I’m not going to even think about it until Saturday afternoon when I crawl out of bed. Though there aren’t going to be many dishes to wash, seeing as I am tossing the foil pans when done with them and I only have the two large glass bowls and a couple of utensils. Maybe I can at least deal with those before bed tonight. The flour coating everything will have to wait. I do not feel like wiping down everything and doing the floors on Xmas Eve.
The cats have been out of their minds all afternoon. They worked themselves into a total frenzy earlier and started fighting, and then … the puking began. Yes, that is just what I need while trying to bake bread. Cats puking all over the house! They seem to be settling down now and heading to the bedroom for their usual afternoon nap. Thank goodness, because all three of them have been unbearable today. The outdoor wild cats aren’t being much better either, as they are at the front door whining to be let in, which can’t happen. I have enough mayhem on my plate today. I do feel sorry for them being out in the cold wind, but they know how to get under the house, and it’s plenty warm under there, especially in the kitchen and laundry room areas. Just ask the resident possum!
Time to go poke the loaves rising in the pans and start on the next batch! Then the dip bowl and dip!
I think I could bake bread like this every day and never get grumpy about it. I love baking bread. So relaxing. The perfect thing to do before a stressful family Xmas trip!