Give us today our daily Bread

Bread: white, whole wheat, spelt, kamut, gluten free, different grains; flat, round, buns, loaves, with sunflower seeds or cornmeal, for wieners or hot-dogs; yeast or sourdough; in plastic bags, or paper bags with a window. I wonder if the Israelites invented that many uses for their manna. Lovely, satisfying fresh bread!

Remember that smell?

I've never seen my mother bake bread. The baker came to the door, and brought the smell with him. He sold her half a loaf of warm whole wheat, and on Saturdays also half a loaf of white bread in a paper bag. Fresh white bread with butter and syrup, yummy! How simple life was, white or brown. Nothing complicated like flax seed, or 12 grain. I don't believe the baker ever brought cookies to our door. Mom made those herself, or bought them from  the grocery store.

The person who introduced me to home made bread was my father, who baked a red spice bread for Christmas. I never thought to ask him for the recipe, and now I can't, since he's been gone a long time.

My next experience with home-made bread came after I immigrated to Canada. My cousin always   made buns, buying bread was not part of the local culture. From her I learned what the dough should feel and look like, how important the kneading and the temperature of the water were. I was eager to learn: the first loaves I made in my basement suite were hard as bricks! You could build a house with them. They smelled like the real thing, but they were disappointing to eat.

But now I can make whole wheat bread fluffy and light, with molasses for sweetener, and peanut butter for extra protein. On a baking day there may be three whole wheat loaves and dozens of 60 % and white buns standing on the table to rise, waiting for their turn in the oven. Cheese buns are a favorite. I like cinnamon buns, too, with cream cheese icing of course.

When I was homeschooling I used bread as an object lesson for patience: "Patience is waiting without complaining."  (Konos curriculum) One way to drive the idea of waiting home, was watching bread rise! Funny, the things you remember.

Of course, as a mother, you never watch the bread rise, because there is the laundry to hang and the bathroom to clean and the dishes to wash. That's why there are beepers and ringers on our appliances, to warn us of the next task that's waiting for us.

The bread has cooled off, so I'm going to put it in bags and in the freezer, except one dozen, delicious, fresh, cheesy buns, for tonight's supper!