In the backyard

Cornmeal honey bread

1 1/8 cups warm water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, or margarine
4 tablespoons honey

2 2/3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup dry buttermilk powder
1 heaping tablespoon gluten
1 teaspoon salt

1 3/ teaspoons SAF yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons breadmachine yeast

Basic cycle, medium crust, 1 1/2 pound loaf

Semolina Country Bread

1 1/3 cups warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 cups bread flour
1 1/4 cups semolina flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup 9-grain cereal (or Ezekiel 4:9 cereal, if you prefer a coarser grain)
3 tablespoons flax seed
1 tablespoon gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast, or 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast


1 1/2 pound loaf; French bread cycle; medium crust

This one is good slathered with a garlic butter or dipped in a garlicked olive oil. It would probably be really good as a French toast.

Bohemian Black

Here is one of our favorites - Bohemian Black Bread:

1 1/8 cups water
4 tablespoons butter/margarine, melted
3 tablespoons molasses
1 3/4 cups bread flour
1 cup rye flour, the darker the better
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder (for this loaf, we're using a nice, dark-roasted Guatamalan, ground to powder)
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon anise seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (if you use salted butter, reduce this to 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons SAF yeast from your local snob bakery goods supplier, or 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast from America's Favorite Place to shop (just make sure it isn't Chinese).

And last, but certainly not least, a half cup of 9-grain cereal. This will, of course, cause an adjustment to be required for the water; as always, add a tablespoon at a time till the doughball is 'correct.'

Whole wheat cycle, medium crust.

"The Loaf of the Happy Proctologist"

or ... "Many Grains Bread."

1 1/8 cups milk
2 tablespoons sunflower oil, or a nice light olive oil
3 tablespoons of either honey or molasses
1 3/4 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup rye flour (dark is best but any rye will do)
2 heaper tablespoons polenta or yellow cornmeal
1 heaper tablespoon gluten
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast, or 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Now ... here's what makes the Procto so Happy:

Add 1/3 cup 9-grain cereal (from Natural Grocers over in Pebbler); add a couple of heaper tablespoons of flax seed and the same of sunflower seeds (just the kernels, mind you, and they can be roasted or raw); add a couple of heapers of wheat germ.

Because of the extra dry ingredients you will almost certainly have to add more milk during the kneading. Do so a tablespoon at a time till the doughball is ... well ... you know ... right. A clue here is the sound of the bread machine. If it's laboring and thrashing like the Titanic on its final plunge, you should start adding a bit of milk.

The final rise, just before the bake cycle

The finished loaf

A nice even crust, not too deep, and a moist crumb

Bohemian Black Bread

This one is really quite good.

2 pound loaf:

1 1/2 cups warm water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons molasses

2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 1/3 cups medium or dark rye flour

1/3 cup wheat germ

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten

2 teaspoons espresso powder (alternatively, finely ground dark roast coffee)

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons SAF (regular) yeast, or 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

You can add 1/4 cup flax seeds, and 1/4 cup 9 grain cereal, in addition to the ingredients listed. This makes a very robust whole grain bread. It's very very good for toasting, and goes well with butter, or butter and a good jam. Like an orange marmelade or a Polaners or Shmuckers.

The 9 grain cereal is from Natural Grocers in Pueblo. They have a pretty good selection of seeds, whole grains, and specialty flours.

Natural Grocers

Stonehenge Bread (modified)

OK, here's another one. This is a good one. It rivals our Toasting Bread:

Part 1

3 tblspoons brown flax seed
1/4 cup oat bran
3 tblspoons polenta or cornmeal
1/4 cup Red Mill Meusli
3 tblspoons honey
3 tblspoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup boiling water

Part 2

2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup rye flour (dark is best)
2 tblspoons roasted wheat germ
1 1/2 tblspoons gluten
1 1/2 tspoons salt (TEAspoon; not TABLEspoon)

Part 3

1 tblspoon yeast, or 1 tblspoon plus 1/2 tspoon bread machine yeast

Put all the ingredients in Part 1 together in a bowl and let the grains soften by soaking for 15 minutes.

While that is taking place, add all the ingredients in Part 2 to the bread machine.

Add the mess from the bowl and let it cool a bit before adding the yeast. Make sure it is not too hot or the yeast will suffer.

Set the crust on medium; set on the Whole Wheat cycle; make sure it's set for 1 to 1 1/2 pound loaf, and hit Start.

Remove immediately at the end of the baking cycle and place on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

NOTE: 1 1/4 cups water is almost certainly going to result in a dough ball that is too dry. Add water a tablespoon at a time during the first knead cycle till you get a nice, sticky dough ball typical of a good whole wheat recipe.

This stuff, with butter and a good jelly or jam (specifically, a high grade orange marmelade) will cause your eyeballs to roll back in your head in gustatory ecstasy. It will also earn you the approval of your proctologist.

See also:

Hungarian Fennel Bread

Patriot Bread

Sour Cream Rye Bread

Farmstyle Cottage Cheese Bread

Honey Cornmeal Buttermilk Bread

and ... last but not least ...

Fusion Burgers and Camel Dung

for that one, you have to come up with a nan bread.