Homemade French-Style Bread

Yesterday's Chicago Tribune had a big article on kneading and bread making and I just couldn't stop thinking about it. Call it a backlash from the no-carb diet. Plus, just another excuse to use my stand mixer. I've made plenty of beer bread and bread machine bread in my life, but not real, do it yourself, mix it, knead it, watch it rise bread. So I tried out the recipe in the Trib, too, for a Basic French-Style bread from Chef Tom Beckman of the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. The only thing I did different was to brush one loaf with egg whites before baking - which I definitely recommend. It didn't taste bad, either, but maybe a little bland.

Also, my bread seemed to have come out a little deflated, but not bad for a first try. The recipe actually made two loaves, but this one with the egg white wash was much prettier. Tomorrow I'm going to try the recipe that is on the back of the bread flour bag - it has a few more ingredients that should add to the taste.