We knead the dough at the birdhaus

Yes, it's bread time again. It starts, appropriately enough, with a gooey, smelly glop called starter, shown here in it's messy recycled jar. It's active (if not attractive), having been taken out and fed the night before.

It is mixed with a mass of ingredients, beaten to a kneaded pulp. And then placed in a covered, oiled bowl for the night. I use a porcelain coated bowl, as I understand metal with affect the starter. Superstition?

The dough is then place in loaf pans (some of which are metal, so there goes the whole don't use metal thing), and then allowed to rise a second time. Not quite as long this time---about six hours. I then score the tops with a sharp knife and into the oven they go.

After about 35 minutes out they go onto cooling racks. I let them cool entirely before slicing or freezing.

Lemme tell ya, they are quite yummy. I've got the starter really going strong, and it rises better than any yeast I've ever used.