I’m feeling very French today. Making baguettes, drinking wine, eating Brie and such.
This was my first time making bread. Real bread. And by the way, it felt damn good.
Baking homemade bread is one of those things that just makes you feel like a total baller in the kitchen. Though I’m sure many bread recipes are difficult/annoying/require a bread machine, this one is nothing of the sort! All you need is a food processor – and even that’s not completely imperative, as Bittman points out, you can still make it without one.
I’d been meaning to try homemade bread for a while, as I’ve had this recipe for No-Knead Bread adapted from Jim Lahey and written about by Bittman via NYT bookmarked for what feels like an eternity. It bakes in a Dutch oven, and the process is super-simple. As the name implies, there’s no kneading required – which I suppose is something you have to do a lot of with traditional bread-making, though I won’t pretend to be an expert there – but there is one issue with the recipe that may stop you from making it, and that’s the 12 hour minimum timeframe you’ll need for rising.
This baguette recipe, on the other hand, can come to life in one ridiculously enjoyable Sunday afternoon. And as much as I like the idea of a round of bread baked in a Dutch oven, I believe I like the idea of making baguettes even mores.
With it, I served an even simpler honey-thyme-Brie concoction, which I will post later this week. Honey plus cheese (blue cheese! goat cheese! Brie cheese!) is one of my favorite combinations ever – funny enough, Erin {from Naturally Ella} and I were literally just chatting on Twitter about honey and cheese today! And I completely forgot to mention I had this little number up my sleeve. 
The beauty, however, of making baguettes at home is that you really don’t need any fancy accompaniments if you’re not feeling it – just soften a bit of butter in one dish and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and pour a little of your best olive oil into another, and get after it! It’s fresh, homemade bread, and it’s simply incredible as-is.
And honestly, you haven’t lived until you’ve created the scent of freshly baked bread in your own home.
Get the baguette recipe, along with a recipe for real whole wheat bread, on Melissa’s lovely blog, The Fauxmartha. And click here to see what the rest of the group did with their bread!
Wow! I am craving these Baguettes. It looks healthy and yummy. Thanks for the great blog.
Myrtle recently posted..Accommodation Chamonix
Its a great combination..I like eating this kind of bread..This one is delicious if its too hot..Thanks for sharing the recipe..
Krizza recently posted..Spa Servicing
Great minds think alike
Your baguettes look great!
erin recently posted..Shaved Asparagus and Goat Cheese Crostini
YUM! Such beautiful baguettes and I can’t wait to try that dip!
Sara recently posted..Homemade Honey Wheat Bread {Food Matters Project}
Your baguettes look great and I’m looking forward to the honey brie spread you made.
Lexi recently posted..TUSCAN STYLE PORK TENDERLOIN IN A WHOLE WHEAT BAGUETTE
Ummm, I felt like a total baller this weekend baking bread for my first time too! It’s empowering!!
Jess @ Cheese Please recently posted..Rosemary Asiago Cheese Bread {Whole Wheat}
Your baguettes are gorgeous and I can’t wait for the brie-honey-thyme recipe. All of those ingredients sound so lovely together. And yes, you truly have not lived until you bake your own bread… the aroma that wafts around your house is heavenly!
Margarita recently posted..Bread-baking Tips + Honeyed Rhubarb-Walnut Jam Bruschetta
I felt good about making bread too! I went on YouTube an watched the “no-knead” recipe in the Dutch oven and I think I might give that a try sometime. Thanks for sharing.
Gracie recently posted..Food matters project: mostly whole wheat baguette
You are killing me! I can’t keep up!
Gini Dietrich recently posted..Nine Books for Communicators
I did the baguette recipe too, only I made my into a bread! Still turned out delicious! And I can’t wait to hear the cheese recipe.
Evi recently posted..The Food Matters Project #12: Mostly Whole Wheat Bread
You are making me wish I did the baguettes – they look fantastic!
Alyssa @ Everyday Maven recently posted..The Food Matters Project: Whole Wheat Croutons
Wow! Can’t wait for the honey-thyme-brie concoction!! It looks spectacular!
mmm i love brie! can’t wait to see your post for the cheese dip
I made these last night and they’re delicious! Especially considering I messed up the recipe a bit. And I’ve never made bread before. I had no idea how easy it was!
Rachel recently posted..Pinspiration Friday