OK, I’ve spared you any new bread recipes for several days now. But yesterday morning we had feasted on the remains of my last homemade bread baking adventure, so I had no choice but to take my sourdough starter out of the refrigerator and whip up a loaf. I was really in the mood for a nice boring whole wheat bread that would make great toast. And my favorite way to eat toast is slathered in honey. Now, not just any honey. My favorite is pine tree honey. But it’s really hard to find because the best pine tree honey we’ve ever tasted comes from Turkey. (The country, not the critter.) Which, incidentally, is where we learned to love pine tree honey in the first place.

Every morning we would find a wonderful combination of dishes waiting for us in the dining room of our accommodation. Our breakfasts were generally comprised of black and green olives, sliced cucumbers, cured meats, dips and sauces, eggs, fresh cheeses, sliced fresh tomatoes, fresh-baked bread with butter, jams, and honey. And often, delicious pastries. But what we both lived for, was the fresh bread and the honey. All the offerings were lovely, but the honey was so wonderful, we simply couldn’t get enough. And yes, we loved our holiday in Turkey. The Turkish people are friendly and gracious, and the cultural aspects of the country unparalleled. I felt a true connection with the land and the people from the first day of our visit. I especially loved the call to prayer that happened 5 times each day. Even though I am not Muslim, this simple soundscape had a profound impact on me. It helped me remember to be thankful for all the many blessings I have in my life.    

And even though we can’t feast on pine tree honey any longer, we are lucky enough to live in the land of Cats Paw honey*. This raw, unpasteurized honey from bees that love to nibble on clover, blackberries, dandelions, and thistle is absolutely delicious. And I have to say, slathered on our unbuttered toast this morning, the combination of this lovely local honey and this simple whole wheat bread made for mighty fine eating. And the bread had been very easy to build. Always a plus.

So, if you too would like to make a bread that is quick to assemble, and tastes wonderful, I recommend you give this recipe a try. And if you live in this area, I absolutely recommend you buy some Cats Paw honey at your earliest convenience.

As always, cherish your memories while still making new ones. As we get older, if we let them, physical limitations can have a negative impact on our lives. But if we have great memories to look back on, I think that helps us adjust to our new reality. I can’t ski any longer. But boy do I have great memories of gliding through the snow with family and friends by my side. The laughter, the joy of being outside, and the fellowship at the end of the day. Marvelous. So, no regrets that I can no longer put on uncomfortable ski boots, hustle my butt to sit down on the ski lift without killing myself, or get myself buried in powder snow enough so that Mr. C. has to dig me out. Nope – can’t happen anymore. But it did happen, and I have those wonderful memories to keep me entertained when I start feeling a bit creaky. Life is truly wonderful. Enjoy it to the fullest.

Peace and love to all.

½ c. lukewarm water

1 tsp. active dry yeast

2 tsp. pure maple syrup or honey

1 c. sourdough starter discard  

1½ tsp. kosher salt

2 T. vital wheat gluten** (I use Bob’s Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten)

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. bread flour, or more as needed

extra virgin olive oil

Place the water, yeast, maple syrup, and sourdough starter in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir gently with your dough hook. Let proof for 15 minutes, or until foam appears on top.

Add the salt, vital wheat gluten, and whole wheat flour. Stir well with dough hook. Add enough of the bread flour until a smooth, only slightly sticky dough forms. (This takes 3-4 minutes of letting your mixer do the hard work of kneading the dough). There should be no dough stuck to the bottom of the bowl. It should all be hanging on for dear life to the dough hook.

Once the dough has been kneaded, lightly grease the dough with a small amount of olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it alone for about 90 minutes or until almost doubled in size. Punch down the dough. (The dough should feel smooth and slightly springy.)

Shape into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. If you prefer smaller loaves, shape the dough into 2 equal sized loaves and use 2 7½ x 4-inch (roughly ½ lb.) loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise for 75 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425-degrees.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes for large loaf, or about 20 minutes for smaller loaves, or until golden brown and firm. (If in doubt if the bread is done, take the breads temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should read at least 195 degrees.)

Remove from oven and turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Will stay fresh for several days.

Absolutely wonderful toasted and slathered with butter and honey!  

*Locally owned Cats Paw Bees is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of an organic environment for the honey bee in the local community of Stanwood and Camano Island in the Puget Sound area of Western Washington. Andy & Bonnie Swanson own and operate Cats Paw Bees using natural and organic methods to raise honey bees, producing a raw natural honey filled with local floral flavors. To find this wonderful honey, visit www.catspawsbees.com for retail locations.

**Vital wheat gluten is nearly all gluten and almost no starch. When used as an additive in baking, its purpose is to add elasticity to flours that would otherwise be low in gluten, such as whole wheat flour or rye. It improves the rise of the raw dough and also improves the texture and chewiness of the final product.