a new loaf

I looove the smell of fresh bread. It has a way of transporting me to my grandma's blue kitchen. My grandma would bake about a dozen loaves at a time, and up until the last few years, when she finally started using an electric mixer, she used a huge copper-coloured bowl fitted with a hand crank for all that kneading. Anyway, the most enticing aroma would waft all over the house when the fresh-baked bread cooled on racks around her kitchen. Then we'd enjoy a fresh slice with her beef stew, or perhaps topped with a spread with spicy Finnish mustard and roast beef.

Kind of a silly thing to share. It's like saying, 'I like the smell of fresh bread 'cause it reminds me of this one time, there was fresh bread,' but there you have it. Fresh bread and my grandma are inextricably linked.

My new goal is to make two loaves a week. Granted, it'll take more time and effort than throwing some bread into my grocery cart, but I don't really care for that stuff anyway (and they have too many ingredients I can't pronounce.) If my grandma could make so many loaves virtually by hand at the age of 80, I can surely handle a couple with the help of my KitchenAid.

I've made Soulemama's W.H.O. bread, but it's a little sweet for everyday toast and sandwiches. Alicia's version cuts the sugar, but I want to do a little experimenting with heartier ingredients. Know any good recipes?