Dad, teach me how to make bread
[2007 Literary Ministry Spiritual Training and Creation In-depth Camp] Works Published 4
Abba, teach me how to make bread. Many friends like to eat the bread I make and encourage me to develop my hobby into a profession. You say, this is a good idea!
My child, if you are interested in learning, of course I am happy to teach. But can you do it? Making bread is not easy.
I've done this many times, just put the fermented dough into the oven. What's so difficult? Let me try it!
All right! My child, let me introduce you to flour first.
Dad, flour is flour, what else is there to say?
Children, flour is the basic material for making bread. If you are not familiar with the characteristics of various flours and do not know how to distinguish the quality, how can you make good bread?
Even if the recipe doesn’t use any special flour, wouldn’t it still make decent bread?
Children, make bread as a hobby. It is possible to bake bread according to the recipe, but you can only enjoy it behind closed doors. If you want to be worthy of the title of "baker", you should have professionalism and be more careful about making bread. The baker should use the finest ingredients and even the purest water for kneading the dough. Putting sincerity in food means respecting the person who eats it. The finished product you make will reflect the thought you put into it. go! Wash your hair, body, and clothes thoroughly, and see you at the bakery tomorrow morning.
Dad, I know I have to wash my hands first. Why do you have to wash your whole body, even your clothes?
My child, you are making bread not only with your hands, but with your whole being. Taking care of yourself shows that you are serious. Not only do people need to be clean, but also the utensils they use, from baking sheets and dough mixers to measuring cups and forks and spoons, must be clean. It is made respectfully and presents clean food to those who eat it, so that people can feel full and feel at ease. What's more, I love cleanliness and have a mysophobia, so I have to ask you to do the same.
Dad, if you are so slow and hygienic, when will the bread be ready for guests?
Children, make unclean bread and eat it to harm your body. No matter how delicious bread you make, no one will eat it. Now lift out the flour and get ready to knead the dough!
Dad, making bread is so fun. The bread you make is golden and shiny in color, has a sweet aroma, and is chewy but not cloying in the mouth. By following you in making bread, I hope more people can enjoy such delicious bread. Moreover, how great it is to have so much time to do things with you!
Yes, kid, I look forward to spending time with you too.
Dad, the book also says that white sugar, white flour, and butter are not nutritious, and eating too much will cause civilized diseases. I don’t want to use any of these. What I want to make is whole grain bread with the highest nutritional value.
Children, no matter how high the nutritional value of whole grains is, most people cannot accept such dry and hard bread.
That’s because they don’t know the benefits of whole grains!
Although sugar and butter have no nutritional value, they can make bread soft and fragrant, making people enjoy eating it more, right? Children, God gave us the sense of taste and smell, which has nothing to do with survival, but it allows us to enjoy life. Any bread can fill a person's stomach, but not all bread can bring satisfaction. Why don't we try to adjust the ratio of whole grains and white flour to make nutritious and delicious bread.
Dad, you have all the materials ready, are you ready to start?
Okay, let's go step by step. Measure the flour and sugar, pour the dissolved yeast in, start the mixer, add water slowly, the mixing speed can be faster. Yes, test the hardness of the dough and wait for fermentation.
How long does fermentation take? What to do with the waiting time? Dad, is there any way to save some time and make it more efficient?
My child, fermentation cannot come in a hurry, nor can it be delayed. If the time is too short, the dough will not rise and become dead; if the time is too long, the dough will become sour. There are so many things to do while you wait! Wash the plates and bowls you just used and prepare the next batch of bread.
Dad, the dough has been fermented. Although it is soft and can be kneaded into shape, it is also elastic enough to resist my shaping.
Controlling the strength at hand to make every piece of dough look the way you want is also a skill. Let me demonstrate first and watch carefully.
After years of training, your hands are big and strong. Dad, I don’t have this strength.
Children, making bread is not about moving bricks. You can’t just rely on brute force, you also need to know how to use force. Practice and practice again, and you will gain more strength with every plate of bread that comes out of the oven.
Dad, no one cares about the bread I worked so hard to make. What did I do wrong? I know how to make bread, but no one wants to eat the bread I make?
Don't worry, kid, you're just a newbie. If you can do it well from the beginning, you don’t need me to teach you. Take one for yourself, taste it carefully, watch it slowly, and think about why the customers don't like your bread. Is it the taste, shape, or color?
Yes, Abba, I see it. The breads range from big to small, some burnt, some hard. In the past, making bread was just for fun, and the finished product was distributed to relatives and friends. For the sake of free food, they always accepted it happily and praised it generously. Now it is placed in the cupboard, and when the light shines on it, the flaws are exposed. Let me try again, correct the shortcomings last time, and see if I can improve.
Yes, kid, you can’t learn how to make bread in a day or two. I am a master with first-class reputation and credibility, and you should be very aware of my skills. Use your endurance and perseverance, and I will always be with you, help you, and teach you everything you need to know. Stop being upset and let me make some bread for you to eat.
Abba, it’s so delicious! I had forgotten that eating bread in my stomach can make my heart feel a little sweet and happy.
Boy, that’s because I’m thinking of you when I’m making bread.
I just can't make it taste like this. Although I have tried my best, there is still not much progress. Is it because my abilities are limited or because I don’t work hard enough? Could it be that I am not a baker at all?
Children, as long as they keep practicing and trying, they will always develop abilities. However, have you ever thought about why you make bread?
Now, I spend all day repeating the same work in the bakery, facing white bread, white walls, and white aprons... and I don't know how much bread I can sell. Even if someone buys it, there's no way of knowing whether they like it. Why is it so difficult to make bread?
My child, making bread is not easy, so you can’t just rely on interest and enthusiasm, but you must also find the motivation to continue.
Dad, how come you can do this for decades?
Children, let’s take a half-day break and go shopping on the street.
Dad, what are you doing on the street? Isn’t the motivation to make bread in the bakery?
Boy, did you see that? Do the elementary school students who are jumping around want to eat pineapple bread to satisfy their hunger? Mom, who is rushing home to cook, would you like to bring a piece of toast for breakfast for the whole family tomorrow? Middle school students rushing to cram school, grandpa taking his grandson for a walk, salesmen visiting customers... What do you see on their faces and eyes? Is what we provide what they need?
Abba, modern people are so busy, eating bread is just to fill their stomachs and fill their time. Even if it takes so much time, effort, and effort to make bread, can they understand this feeling?
Because of being busy, many people have forgotten how to enjoy food. Win the trust of your guests with sincerity and time, and they will always chew out the connotation of every piece of bread. From now on, what I want to teach is not only the skills of making bread, but also the attitude and belief of making bread.
Dad, when I only care about how to make bread and how much I sell, I unknowingly forget about the feelings of my customers.
Yes, kids, make bread with the person eating it in mind. Even a small piece of bread, because of your caring thoughts, can give them the energy to start again in a short period of respite.
The market was bustling with people in the afternoon, with girls talking and laughing, teenagers riding skateboards, and vendors shouting. Surrounded by the hustle and bustle, I felt at ease. Isn’t making bread just for these people? I want to be like Abba, using bread to touch people’s hearts. My father said he was thinking of me when he was making bread, so I should also be thinking of me when I was making bread. The customers’ eyes widened when they stopped in front of the cupboard to choose bread; the smiles on their lips after they ate the bread... No matter how tired or lonely I am, knowing that the bread I make can bring instant satiety and instant happiness to my guests, I am willing to keep working hard. What's more, with my father accompanying me, the time we two struggle together will be so warm. I couldn't help but want to hurry back to the bakery.
At that moment, Abba stretched out his hand to me and said:
Come on, kid! Make bread with me.