French Bread

It was a warm and cozy night when I decided homemade bread was a good idea...

Well, actually, it was supposed to be a warm and cozy night, but apparently San Diego forgot to catch up to the season change up in here and it has been HOT!

Like 80-90 degree hot.

It's not cute.

Summer is over, Weather Gods!

News Flash:

It's fall.

FALL!

Catch up already.

Get with it.

Give me a season change!

I'm ready for cooler weather, snuggling under my covers, cozier foods and, most importantly,

wardrobe changes!

It's time for scarves and boots and sweaters... oh my!

And did I mention cozy food?

Chilis, soups, stews, breads.

Yes.. the wafting scent of fresh baked bread filling up the house.
mmmmm.

Nothing like it!

Just does something to your brain, puts it in a happy place.

Takes you back to the time you were in Paris, walking into a boulangerie where they had all kinds of fresh baked breads.  You had a complete sensory overload and you couldn't imagine your life ever being the same again.
Remember that time?
In Paris?

What?

You don't?

Well, neither do I.

But in my head, when I think of 'French' bread, that's the image that I conjure up.

Doesn't it sound lovely?

Can you tell I don't get out enough?

Ok, enough of that BS.

Back to the bread.

The recipe I got is from Emeril.

Now before you judge me, I have to say that of all the research I did for baking french bread, this one was the easiest, but had lots of the same elements of the other recipes.

So naturally, I decided to give it a try.

I'm really glad I did because I've made this like three times in one week and it gets devoured in one day.

The boys LOVE it.

Well, they love bread period but I like to think they love this particular bread because it had my blood sweat and tears in it.

Ew. 

Not really, but kinda.

No, not even kinda.

It's really, really easy.

Promise.

And it has the perfect french bread texture.

Crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.

It's so delightful, I can't even tell you.

It keeps for days, not that it lasted that long in this house.

But in case you don't live with a pack of wild wolves like I do, then it might last more than an hour in your casa.

Plus, it's pretty.

I seriously had a hard time cutting into the first loaf because it looked so good.

I know, I'm a freak like that.

I love to look at food as much as I like to eat it.

Weeeeeeirdoooooo.

Just a little extra little snippet about me that I'm sure you were dying to know.

Do you think I added enough pictures of essentially the same shot?

No?

Well, here's one more in case you missed the first 200.

What does the bottom of the loaf look like you ask?

Great question!

So glad I got that shot for you as well...

Booyaahhhh!

Bottom side of the bread.

But of course I forgot to get the all important 'sliced' shot.

Sadly, the wolves descended at first slice and all hell broke loose.

There was no time to take the pic, only to save myself a slice before the guys got to it all.

But trust that it was perfection!

Find the recipe here.

PS I don't have an electric mixer, so I did it by hand.

Turned out great.