How to Make Good Bread If You've Never Made Bread Before

So you've attacked many problems in your kitchen and solved them, and you're feeling adventurous. Maybe you have an issue with what people are putting in your food, and what you are putting in your kids. Maybe you'd like to be a little more self-sufficient. All of the above could be true about you. What to try next?

What about a couple of good loaves of whole wheat bread? If you've never been in a kitchen when bread is just getting done in the oven, you have missed out on a whole spectrum of culinary experience. Fear not! Your problem is easily solved. While it's a time consuming process, nutritionally and for taste reasons it is completely worth it. Also, the time is mostly spent not actually in the kitchen, but letting your ingredients rest and rise.

So where to start? The first thing to do when making real whole wheat bread is to get the right ingredients. Nearly every grocery store sells good whole wheat flour nowadays. Personally I grind my flour straight from the whole grain, but that is an extra step you need not take when you begin to learn breadmaking. (It's definitely worth it, from the perspective of both taste and cost, so it might be something to keep in mind. All you really need is a blender and a small-holed sieve. Check my content page within the next few days to find my description of how I grind my flour.)