Coming from Santa Barbara, you would
think that I'd be rather tolerant of tap water. On the contrary, I'm
pretty sure it has made me very sensitive to flavors in the water,
and therefore I rarely drink water directly from the tap
anywhere.
Granted, I did grow up in Portland, OR where I think the
water directly from the tap is rather tasty (aka has no taste at
all). Unlike Santa Barbara where the water was claimed to kill house
plants (either that or my green-gone-black thumb). Then again, I
don't much care for the tap water here in Huntsville either. Here it
doesn't have that mineral flavor that SB does, but it tastes a bit
too much like a swimming pool with all the chlorine.
So, it was a
nice surprise that our house already had a reverse osmosis eater
purifier built into the kitchen sink. Even though I prefer my water
super ice cold, I could tolerate Luke-warm water directly from the
tap with this system. Until it sprung a leak....
Yes, Derek and
his good hearing detected that there was a constant drip coming from
the water filter and it miraculously went away as soon as we turned
off the water source headed to that part of the sink. Bummer. Because
that means that until we figure out exactly what is leaking and why,
I have to make do with regular tap water.
Due to this lovely turn of events, I find that in the
past week (while the water filter has been off) I've consumed a lot
more milk, soda, tea, apple juice, and beer. All because I'm thirsty
and really can't quite convince myself to drink chlorine water. I
wonder how long it will take me to get over my aversion.... Probably
longer than it will take to run out of juice and beer and milk, or
fix the leak.
Now in an attempt to take all our minds off
liquids, here is a recipe for homemade French bread. I've only tried
it once, and have a few minor adjustments I'll try next time, but
overall it was a success. Very crunchy crust with a good flavor and
perfect for dipping into your favorite EVOO and balsamic vinegar
mixture. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
French
Bread
5 1/2 cups flour
2 cups warm water (hot tap
water)
2 packets active dry yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp
salt
1 egg + 2 Tbsp water (egg wash)
Cornmeal (for dusting)
1.
Combine sugar, water, and yeast in a kitchen mixer with a bread hook.
Mix on low for 2 minutes to dissolve.
2. Add flour and salt.
Mix for 10 minutes on med-high until dough comes away from the sides
and starts to inch up the bread hook.
3. Rub olive oil in a
mixing bowl. Turn dough into bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in
a warm dark area for approx 2 hrs (until dough has at least doubled
in size).
4. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface.
Separate into equal portions (depending on how large of loaves you
want).
5. Take each piece and spread it into a rectangle. Roll
the dough, pressing the roll into the flat dough every once in a
while to ensure the air is sealed in. Once rolled up, press seams to
ensure seal (this makes it extra fluffy).
6. Place finished
rolls on a cooking sheet or baking tray that has been dusted with
cornmeal. Dust tops of loaves with cornmeal and cover with a dish
towel. Let rise for 1 hr.
7. Take a knife and slice diagonal
cuts through the top of the loaves approx 1 inch apart. Brush
egg wash over loaves (make sure to get the sides too).
8. Bake
at 350 for 30 - 45 minutes until golden brown in color. Let cool for
a few minutes before slicing and eating. Yum!
