BUTTERMILK BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
* 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast or 2 teaspoons dry yeast
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 5 1/2 cups bread flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the butter, sugar and buttermilk in a small saucepan. Heat slowly until butter or margarine has melted. Cool to lukewarm sprinkle yeast on top let sit for about ten minutes.
2. Place salt, baking soda, buttermilk mixture, in large mixing bowl with the liquid. Add 3 cups flour one cup at a time, and mix with the dough hook attachment of an electric mixer. Gradually add the remaining flour while continuing to mix. When dough is not sticky, turn out on a lightly floured surface. Knead for several minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth. Place in a greased bowl, and turn once. Allow to rise until doubled in size.

note: I mix this by hand, I hate using a dough hook because the whole idea of baking bread is the threraputic hands-on dough contact. Dough likes the warmth of your hands and it responds to your touch.

3. Punch down the dough. Divide, and shape into 2 loaves. Place in two well greased 8 x 4 inch bread pans. Allow to rise until dough has risen one inch above pans.
4. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven turn over down to 350 when you put the loaves in and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Loaves are done when nicely brown and hollow sounding when thumped.

Notes: on cloudy and cold days you will want to be sure to make this in a warm humid kitchen. Yeast responds to weather just like sugar in candy making.

Also, I grease and flour my bread pans with cornmeal. It looks a lot more interesting and the cornmeal gives it a great crunch also the breads comes out of the pan much easier. You may need to run a knife around the perimeter of the pan before you tump the loaf out.