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Making
and Breaking Bread
February 2005
Last week I was
preparing for a dinner party I was catering and I decided it would
be a nice touch to bake some fresh bread and bring it along. My best
friend Dee was going to help me with the party so she came up the
night before. When I told her I was going to make bread, she got all
excited because she had always wanted to learn how. So I mixed a 5
lb bag of flour (less a cup or so--to be used if needed for the
dough, and to sprinkle on the board before rolling it) with a couple
of cups of tepid water to which 3 envelopes of active, dry yeast had
been added and allowed to froth. I also added about a tablespoon of
kosher salt and a few pinches of course black pepper and some fresh
chopped parsley. I kneaded the dough into a sticky mound, making
sure all of the flour was incorporated, sprinkled in a bit more
flour to make it less sticky and left it to rise, overnight, in the
stainless steel bowl I had mixed it in, then covered it with plastic
wrap followed by a blanket. Dee thought it was the funniest thing
that I had covered it with a blanket but the fact remains that in
order for the dough to ‘grow' it needs to be kept warm. (And isn't
this true for so many things?) So off to bed we then went, each
tucked under our warm blankets.
The next day, with the dough now doubled in size, I shaped it into
loaves on my floured board, and put it in the oven for about an hour
(the exact time depends on the size of your loaves) or until the
crust was firm and golden. Dee was amazed at how easy it was to make
and I became aware of how mystified most people are about the whole
process. It got me thinking about how much fresh bread adds to
dining and nibbling yet how easy it is once you're shown how.
When I was a kid, my parents would make bread twice a week and at my
restaurant, we made anywhere from 16 to 24 loaves every day! There's
nothing like the smell and taste of freshly baked bread. As kids, we
would always cut a chunk of it, smear it with butter and savor every
bite. It was heaven. At the restaurant, the smell would welcome
patrons and immediately fill them with a preview of what was to
come. It was the best advertising. We would place slices of it on
each table along with a dish of extra virgin olive oil infused with
bits of chopped fresh garlic, kalamata olives, capers, salt, pepper,
and fresh chopped parsley. I still don't know how our patrons
managed to leave room for dinner. For me, (and most of the staff)
the bread was what I always went for to sustain me through the long,
energy intense hours of service. It was a delightful addiction.
So, as I demystified the process of making bread for Dee, as I said,
it got me to thinking, “Just what is it about this most humble
accompaniment to a meal that appeals to so many people?” Aside from
the obvious reason that it tastes good, isn't there something far
more profound lurking in each bite. I sense that there is. I know
when I make bread, I feel that I'm offering something completely
honest. As I knead the dough, I feel myself slipping back to simpler
times, bonding with a practice that's changed little in thousands of
years. I wonder why anyone would even think about using a machine to
knead dough when kneading it with your hands is so relaxing and
satisfying. If our energy truly goes into the food we prepare, (and
I have come to believe that it does) then surely the act of kneading
bread must give it a full dose of our human nectar. What better gift
can you give to your friends and family than a slice of heaven,
infused with your authentic, loving energy felt in each bite of
simple bread? And what better symbol of brotherly and sisterly trust
and acceptance do we have than the practice of sharing a meal
together and breaking bread? If it were possible for everyone in the
world to prepare and share a meal together, could we remain enemies?
Could we still hate each other if we had just finished sharing
stories and laughing while we ate? We may not all actually be able
to sit at a communal table, but we can do so symbolically just by
enjoying the company of those at our own kitchen table.
Energetically this simple act can help humanity in ways you or I may
not be aware of.
David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. author of "Power VS. Force" has been
studying and testing the hidden determinants of human behavior for
the last 20 years. In experiments with thousands of people of all
ages, from all walks of life and from all over the world, Dr.
Hawkins found that he can test with foolproof accuracy whether an
idea, event, thought or product is true or not, is good for us or
not, by testing if it has a weakening or strengthening effect on the
body by calculating the muscle response of the test subject. These
experiments were reliable regardless of the test subject's personal
opinions or knowledge. He further reveals in "Power VS. Force" that
the effects of a happy, positive outlook not only benefit one's own
well being, but that this energy has a powerful, positive effect on
others.
One individual who lives and vibrates to the energy of optimism and
a willingness to be nonjudgmental of others will counteract the
negativity of 90,000 individuals who calibrate at the lower
weakening levels
People are always asking what they can do to help the world. They're
only one person. Now we know that we can each make a positive
contribution simply by celebrating life, cooking, eating and
‘breaking bread' with our friends and family. Our joy will be felt
by 90,000 others! So, instead of fighting terrorism on the
battlefield, let's all eat!
Chef Silvia
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