Bakery

Last week our Mia Maid mid-week activity was to brainstorm things that the girls wanted to do throughout the year. They put together quite an impressive list. Among the things they listed was to learn how to make bread. I said I could help with that.

Tonight we met at the home of one of the girls. Instead of demonstrating what to do, I split them into pairs and instructed them as they measured and poured and mixed. Some of them obviously had cooking experience; others... not so much. The funniest moment of the night came when I encouraged them to mix the ingredients together not with a spoon, but with their freshly washed hands. Some of the girls squealed from the grossness of sticking their hands into goo. One girl was beside herself with excitement. She kept saying "I love this! This is so fun!"

Just as they finished mixing and kneading the dough, the two loaves that had I prepared and brought over uncooked, finished baking. So while their dough rose, we all ate bread slathered with margarine and honey. It was heavenly. The girls were appropriately appreciative of how delicious the bread was.

When we finished our treat, the girls got to punch down the dough and separate it into pans they had brought from home. Then, after I drilled them several times on what temperature they should set their ovens for and how long to bake the bread, they each went home with an uncooked loaf, ready to fill their own homes with the comforting aroma of homemade bread.

It was a good night.