Thursday, January 21, 2010

Theme Thursday - Bread

“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.”
– James Beard (1903-1985)

"Bread deals with living things, with giving life, with growth, with the seed, the grain that nurtures. It's not coincidence that we say bread is the staff of life."
– Lionel Poilâne, French baker (1945-2002)

If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.
– Robert Browning, English poet, (1812-1889)

[Note: The photo is of two rye bread loaves I baked yesterday and arranged in a still life on my counter while they were still hot out of the oven.]

One of the most common rituals of family and communal life is breaking bread together. I found two versions of this practice on YouTube. The first is "Breakin' Bread" by '60s and '70s soul group Fred Wesley and the New JBs. This is such a great tune!


The next video is a short film called "Breaking Bread", created by a 48-hour film class at NOVAC (New Orleans Video Access Center). This is a cool little film. Enjoy!


Photo © 2010 by A. Roy Hilbinger

23 comments:

  1. Yum! Hot bread is one of life's best pleasures.

    Enjoy a slice for me! My mouth is watering...

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  2. Roy, I am very impressed. Not many men (or women, for that matter) can bake a beautiful loaf of rye!

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  3. ....yummmmmm....hot bread! When I saw that photo I just knew you had made the bread. You're such a Renaissance man. I hope you got to eat some of it with butter while it was still warm. Loved the song...

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  4. That is some fine looking bread you have there.

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  5. Thanks everybody. This is actually my favorite bread to bake. It's called Sour Dill Rye, and you make it with leftover kosher dill pickle brine, dill weed, and dill seed (instead of the traditional caraway seed), and it is the best bread for cheddar cheese, alfalfa sprouts, and Dijon mustard sandwiches. For that matter, anything you'd use brown mustard on goes well with this bread - prosciutto, pastrami, etc. I gave loaves of it for Christmas presents one year when I was working at Dansk. It's a favorite.

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  6. Slight tangent, but I remember the first time I learned it was "bad luck" to slice bread at the dinner table. I always figured it to be a Southernism, but now I notice the tradition almost everywhere.

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  7. You have captured both of the heritages in my home in that first shot. I'm Irish and my husband is of Danish descent. Nice.

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  8. You got me with the band. I'm not familiar with them.

    Your still life is gorgeous. Really a fine photo. And the bread ain't half bad lookin'. No really looks delicious. Looks like you enjoyed this post totally.

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  9. how about the recipe, Roy?

    Great quotes, too. Bread-baking men rule!

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  10. Those rye loaves are just looking delectable! AND, I would NOT complain should I be offered a cup of that Spiced Masala Chai!

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  11. Great post! With homemade bread and a photo of it, to boot!

    Love that first quote.

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  12. I'm with Jill, I would like some spice masala chai.

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  13. I'm comin' over to your place, Roy! You are quite the baker it would seem ;) And spiced Chai tea!! Happy TT!

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  14. Amazing, and a man who cooks!!! Sliced, warm ... with a compliment of cheese and wine!

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  15. nice. wih dill brine. interesting. hand never see either video. i really liked the second.

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  16. fresh baked and arranged for a still life--now that's a post---I am very impressed and happen to absolutely love rye bread;-) happy tt-c

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  17. You're photo is beautiful. You should be photographing for one of those food magazines or websites. Very impressive.

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  18. Those loaves of bread are so beautiful. I'm impressed with your skill. Just wishing for some butter.

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  19. Beautiful loaves there Roy. All this online bread baking makes me feel so very lazy. It's a little warm to have the oven on today but great 'proving' weather at 42! I must give it a go in the cooler months. Lovely little video too.

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  20. Wow those breads are stupendous! You are an artist and a scholar Sir!

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