More Cheese More Chocolate

I made the best bread I’ve ever made yesterday.

Yes, the best bread I’ve ever made.  Remember when I got the Tartine Bread book a few weeks ago and got my starter going?  Well, after feeding the starter almost every day, reading the book over and over again, and feeling a little intimidated, I finally turned my starter into bread.  And OH MY GOD was it good.

It took a little work and a lot of time, and my first loaf didn’t come out of the oven until around 10:30 last night, but it was so worth it.

I let it cool for a bit, cut a slice from the end, took a little bite, and wanted to jump up and down screaming because all of that work paid off in the form of crusty, chewy, airy bread.

We ate warm, chocolate chip-topped slices for dessert, and it was the best thing I’ve eaten all year.  All year.  Might I remind you that 2011 began with lobster.

Hole-y smokes.

This morning I lightly toasted a slice of the bread, smeared it with salted butter and pb&j, and was immediately subjected to two hours of golf on TV.  I was unfazed by the programming choice, though, because all I could think about was the toast I’d eaten for breakfast and the fact that a second loaf had just come out of the oven.  It was kind of like last night when the warm bread and chocolate chips made me forget about the fact that I’d just watched hours of college basketball.  This bread works miracles!

Want to make your own delicious bread?  There are some blogs that have outlined the process, but I think the best option is to buy the book.  There are a lot of steps involved in making the bread, and the book explains each of them at length with both words and photos.  Even if you buy the book and never use it, you’ll have a nice book for your coffee table that’s full of pretty food photos.