December 28, 2010

My Christmas Present...Or Bread, Bread, And More Bread

So I got 200 Fast and Easy Artisan Breads: No-Knead, One Bowl for Christmas, and just finished reading Julie & Julia, which combination is going to spell disaster for my productivity. 

I've already mentioned my spectacular french bread fail, and seem to have gotten the hang of your regular loaf-type breads (I promise that Thanksgiving Dinner Bread recipe soon, because it's awesome, and you need to make it.  Or get someone to make it for you), but I cannot for the life of me make bread that has that crispy, flaky crust that I love way too much. 

So I'm hoping that sad-sack Julie Powell's 365 days of french cooking can inspire non sad-sack me to get this bread right.  Because I want to eat it. (Update: I did it, and the recipe for Cheap, Crusty French Bread in 15 Minutes is here.)

And I also want to stop paying extra money for bread I should be able to make myself.