A Few months ago Bob wrote a story about getting his bread machine repaired and the smell of fresh bread in the morning. This hit home with me as I remembered back in 1966 we were tied to a pier in Palma, Spain. I was awoken by the smell of fresh bread whiffing across the harbor. The smell affected me like the caricature you see in a cartoon following the odor to the source. Since it was so early I took a chance and went ashore in my working uniform. Bought ten loaves of bread and quickly returned to the ship.
Yup, I was caught, as I hit the gangway ladder, the Captain called down from the bridge and requested my attendance up there with him. “Seaman Thompson, where do you think you were going?” he demanded. “Sir the smell of that bread was too much temptation, and I went there.” He smiled and explained that was the reason he woke up, I asked if he wanted some, and ducked out of the door to retrieve two loafs for the Skipper. Problem solved!
Then Bob’s article reminded me of that day, and how even if I had gotten in trouble it’ would have been worth it.
My quest for a bread machine had now begun. Many stores and malls later I was almost defeated, as I asked clerk after clerk and was shown every type of toaster (Bread Machine also I guess) available in the Philippines.
My oldest Daughter remaindered me that my youngest Daughter lived and worked in Singapore and maybe she could find one for her Daddy. Yes she could and did, back in February she called and said the type I wanted was a Kenwood BM450, and the salesgirl (of course a Philipina) would order it and call my daughter when it came in. A lady of her word, she did and April 1st it shows up at my door via LBC, a signature and a tip and I’m plowing through packing materials to touch and view my new treasure.
Next I stopped and called that sweet daughter and thanked her for her efforts, I next asked the cost and told her I’d deposit the same amount into her bank account here in Olongapo City. (BTW: No Customs Duty!)
Then I remembered reading in Bob’s article that All Purpose Flour was not to be used, unless you added Gluten Flour (whatever the hell that is) use Class three bread flour, na lang. So many rules just for a loaf of bread, so I called number one daughter (Order of birth, not preference) and asked about that, she said she’d bring some up to the house as her friend owned a bakery.
The waiting is the hard part; there I am with something new and shiny, and all I can do is look at it, and read about how to use it (not such a bad idea). I was tempted to use the all purpose flour, but in my mind I could see Bob glaring at me and shaking his head. So I stopped right away, and waited and waited. Instant gratification is what I was looking for, after all, that’s The American Way! But I still waited.
Got the flour, need 600 grams, or 21.16 oz, or 4.6 cups of flour. Thank God For internet conversion charts. All that and the other stuff are mixing to beat the band. I have no idea what setting it’s on as it started when I plugged it in. I did get the setting for a 1 Kg. loaf set right. The rest is up Kenwood and the gods to make it come out right.
A few hours later: The house is cloaked in the smell of fresh baking bread, kids with empty baskets are lining up in front of my gate thinking I had something for them to sell. A buzzer sounds like it was Christmas morning I open the door to see my first loaf of bread. I remembered reading about gloves or some such thing that are required to lift the bread out. They were so correct on that score. Lord was it hot. Forty five minutes on the rack to cool, set up the nifty bread slicing contraption, buttered a piece of that bad boy up.
Look towards the south and shout “Thank you Sir Bob, you might have been puttin’ us on about fish, but cha’ got it right on the bread machine!”
Hi Paul – And here I thought your favorite kind of bread was the folding type. 😆
Golly it is tempting, but being in the home town of “world famous” Pasuquin Bakery’s biscocho (soft and hard), it’s difficult to think about switching to home made bread. (I’m chowing down on some of that delicious soft biscocho right now – mmmmmmmmm.)
Now, if I could just get THAT recipe! 😉
I used folding bread to buy that bread in Spain. The Skipper never did pay me. It was only a few Spanish Persuaders.
Haha, nice one, Paul! Brings back memories…although I’m not that old yet, we had a similar baking machine back in Germany. As a novelty it’s lot’s of fun and you will try out plenty of baking flour mixes. But after a while, you will get lazier and lazier (you have to clean out that thing every time!) and will just pick up a loaf at the bakery nearby. :))
Enjoy your baking! Nice thing to do! 😉
Hi Chris – There is a reason why that won’t happen in the Philippines. Here, we have maids to do that cleaning out part! 😆
Chris;
If there was a good Bakery in my area I would not kneed (good pun don’t you think, groan) the Bread machine. Ditto what Bob said about cleaning, we don’t do windows! When I was in Germany I found more Beer Halls than Bakeries, but that was just me.
Ahhhhh Germany – Munchner Hofbräu, Dortmunder Union, Stuttgarter Hofbräu, Dinkelacker, Schwaben Bräu – aaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Liquid bread, as they say. 😆
If I had to live some place where it snows, let it be in Baden-Württemberg / Black Forrest area!
Paul;
I like the way your mind works!!! Prost.
Prost-X (chug-a-lug!) 😆
Prost also from here in Austria with a cold one in hand! Austrian beer is rated right up there with the best! As for bread, I love the smell, and the best is a nice warm slice right off the end, smothered in butter! I can taste it still. Thanks for the memories!
Hi John;
You’re welcome. I’ve had good beer all through Northern Europe, too many possibly, no that’s not true. Good hot fresh bread smothered in rich butter is to die for the next morning, after the beers the night before.
hi there…i’m looking for a good bread machine because my daughter is trying to lose weight and i thought i’d make her some flaxseed bread which is so hard to find even in gourmet and high-end delis…also, 8-grains bread. your Kenwood looks good. i searched in Abenson, but it says – “no product in that category!”…only bread toaster, can you imagine?
Hi;
I’ll have to assume you live here in the Philippines? I could not find a bread machine here, and had to have my daughter send me one from Singapore. You could go online to Kenwood and ask them if it’s sold here, I don’t know why I didn’t do that in the first place.
Good Luck
only ad I could find. Will try to find one closer
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:dxYOl40Us9cJ:www.nextag.co.uk/Kenwood-BM450-Rapid-Bake-1525143562/uk/prices-html+Kenwood+BM450+buy+canada&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk
That’s the one I got. In Singapore it was USD $220.00and shipping was USD $35.00. I like it as it’s simple to use, and simple is what I do well!
O know that feeling of warm bread fresh out of the oven. When Melanie, and I left San Francisco for St. Maarten to get on Imagine. She knew absolutely nothing about boating, so I had a dockmate join us for the trip.
It turned out he was heck of a baker. He would do pies, cakes, pizza, and of course BREAD. All kinds of breads, and it was all delicious.
We took 6 weeks to get to Florida. Once we arrived Jim flew back to Calif. I don’t know if we missed Jim, or his baking skills…..lol…..i2f
I did enjoy St. Maartins (both the Dutch or French Side) Someone with a talent like that would be a joy to sail with.
Hi Paul,
I am surprised that I am the first to comment on what a beauty your daughter is in her picture. It is amazing how your wife’s good genes have managed to negate yours. Ha Ha! I hope you are doing that bread justice by putting real butter on it. Cholesteral be damned! As always enjoy your writing.
Anchor Butter from New Zealand, it the best I’ve found here in the R.P. When my daughter and her equally pretty sister were teenagers all they had to do was flash those brown eyes at daddy and get anything they wanted. They learned that from mama.
Paul,
You daughter obviously got YOUR good looks!
(your wife still has hers…)
The good looks come from their mother. I’m as ugly as a mud fence.
Hi Paul – Glad that you are now enjoying the taste of homemade bread, as we are! It certainly is worth the effort!
Hey, as I told you on e-mail, your daughter is certainly a good looking girl! You must have raised her right. I feel that maybe you were a bit out of your mind to put her picture here on LiP, though… some of these guys on here are sure to start asking for her contact information! 😆
Welcome to the world of bread making, Paul!
Bob;
After you told me about the yeast I walked down to the store on the highway and asked the owner if I could see the box it came in. (I bought 3 small foil envelopes) explaining that I need to know how much was in the package. The box had clearly printed on the top Use By Aug. 2006. I knew then what the problem was. I now have fresh yeast and yesterday the bread came out perfect. My daughter resides at McMurdo Station in the Antarctic and her phone number BR-549
Ah, Paul, that story of the bribe to Cappy brings back memories! I’ve just spent the past 1/2 hour explaining to my wife why I always brought an extra bottle on board for Cookie! LOL
I’m going to have to remind myself to ship a bread-maker before I leave, as I didn’t find the bread in either Taiwan or The RP quite on par with what I grew up with & is so important to my sense of well-being. I’ll bet that that bread-maker of your’s will get a work-out!
Should I, too, point out the obvious; that your daughter is a vision of loveliness? If she were my daughter, I’d have her wearing coveralls until she was 40, and would walk behind her with a big stick to chase off the boys! LOL
Mike2
A bottle for the stew burner is a very good idea. I never had to worry much about both my girls, as I spoiled them. I can honestly say that they have never seen me angry. When the youngest was sixteen with her spanking new driver’s license, she asked if she could move the car out of the carport. She proceeded to drive straight into my neighbor’s wall; I was smiling when she ran back to me to say how sorry she was. I handed her and her sister 500.00 pesos each and told them to go to town and stay until I called them. When they both asked why I said “Do you really want to be here when you mother shows up?” Off they went, and I told my wife it was my fault, as I’d distracted my girl while she was driving. All went well. But the coveralls is one fine idea!!!
Hi Paul,
Awww– and you say your an “average guy”?
Your bread came out nice! I didn’t know Kenwood made bread machines–I remember we used to have some big old Kenwood speakers that we loved…
The idea of using a bread machine in the States never really appealed to me because I liked to make my own by hand, but in the hot tropics it seems like it would be the perfect way to go. I love the breads in the Philippines, but they tend to be on the fluffy, sweet side. Maybe your machine will let you experiment with other recipes too, as Bob and others’ mentioned in his post.
I want to get one of these…
I need to put bread machines in the LiP Store! I’d make a killing! 😯
That’s a good idea Bob!
You know Bob, related to the topic of the bread machine making something easier to make in the heat, I’ve been pondering getting one of those electric glass dome ovens that you can roast a chicken in. I guess here they call them “Turbos” I’ve seen them in the department stores in Cebu and they’re way cheaper than they would be in the US. You could sell those too…
Ha ha… I’ve seen those Queenie…. I personally am not interested in them though. Now, if there was demand… 😆
Hi Bob, If I lived down there I would definitely buy a Turbo cooker – not too sure if you can bake bread in them, but you can sure cook a good chicken in them! I’ll wait until you have them in stock!
Queenie: They had them (Turbo cookers, like were advertised on TV in the States) for sale at Landmark in TriNoma… cost was around 6,000 pesos, but they were good for RP electric. Almost bought one, but our kitchen outlets are well beyond the octopus level as it is now!
My Sainted Grandmother “Molly Dugan-Thompson” made fresh bread every morning when I was a wee tyke, as she didn’t live far, my brothers and I would visit often. The main reason was not always the bread, as there were pies and cakes on the menu also. Once she had baked a birthday cake for my grandfather and we boys were sitting looking at it with wide blue eyes. She smiled with that twinkle in her eye she brought over from Ireland and said “Ya be wantin’ some cake do ya?” Eat it me lads I’ll make the old man another.” Yes we were spoiled average guys!
There is for sure something magical about the smell and taste of a good loaf of bread. I married a baker so I am a happy man. I even had the opportunity to send her to a bread making school in Davao before she came over-life is good to those of us that need bread. Now if I could only get her to make some. (-:
Hi Ron;
Buy your lady a bread machine and you’ll have fresh bread every day. I’ve made bread from scratch and know it’s a lot of hot work. I’m on your wife’s side on this one my friend!!!
Hi Paul,
Just read your story and man am I drooling to bad this site dosn’t have a scratch and sniff for food!!
You know if BoB put in his fish stall next to your bakery, and John M the expert in Lechon had the stall next to yours. Heck you all could start the first Palengke of the Kanos I think this could turn out to be somthing big!!!
Shipmate;
A Kano Palengke, now there is an idea with merit. In a 12 hour day I could only make and sell 4 loafs of bread at 3 hours each I’d not make any money. But since I know me well enough, that I’d have a cooler of beer under the counter, I could go broke and have a great day, tossing fish with Bob, and stealing bites of pork from John. I’d venture to say and excellent day could be had by all.
The problem with instant gratification is it takes too long.
I swear I can smell freshly baked bread – wow the power of the internet.
Loved your story about the car – you’re a great dad!!
Hi Gary;
I did the same thing to my Fathers 1960 Oldsmobile, I was shoveling out the snow from the drive way, and while backing out I ripped off the driver side door. (Remember snow means cold) He came down, put the door in the trunk and drove the car to the body shop. He was grinning and told me it was okay, but be a little more careful. I could do no less with my girl.
Hello Paul
I just arrived in Cebu several days ago and I have to tell you apart from the obvious drinking from my family…I went to buy some breads RIGHT AWAY!!! The freshness and the smell was too strong for my will 🙂 I’ll be in Cebu until May 11th. if you live close by I could visit you and have a good old mig or redhorse my treat 🙂
Jason;
I would enjoy that very much, as I’ve been known to travel for a cold San Magoo. Ah, but the problem lies in distance and depth of water betwixt Cebu and Bataan. If you’re ever up on Luzon by Subic, it’s a deal and I’ll buy the beer.
Hey Paul, bought a Bread machine for Christmas one year. I gained 10 pounds and my wife gained 7. That was the end of the Bread machine at our house. JC
J.C.;
I can tell who was eating the most bread, tell the truth now, did you stop eating bread or just making it? (LOL) I’ll let you know if that happens to me, if it’s the case I’ll go back to getting my “Grains” from beer.
I have an excellent bread recipe that I make all the time at home in Maryland that involves almost no work. It requires a 475 degree oven (F) for around 60 minutes or so. I’ve never ever seen any of my Filipino relatives use the ovens in their stoves for anything other than storing pots. Aside from heating up the kitchen, do enery costs make frequent oven use impractical? I’d hate to give up my bread.
Peter;
That is funny you mentioned the oven, no it’s not power costs, its most of the population can’t afford a stove with an oven. My wife also stores pots and pans in hers. When I want to use it must be emptied first. If you think about Philipino food you’ve eaten, which have been baked or broiled? (Charcoal is for broiling here) I have a Turbo Oven that is great for roasting chicken and small turkeys. When I used too bake it would never be during the summer due to the high heat.
Paul:
One time 15-20 years ago my wife Senn decided to make a cake in her brother’s oven. It was one of those ovens with a window on the door. Senn’s brother’s family pulled up chairs around the stove and watched the oven window like it was a TV until the cake had baked. That is the only time that oven has been used for cooking.
Peter;
That’s a funny story, you could put Wow Wow Wee off the air with a couple more cakes. My mother-in-law likes to watch things go around in the microwave. But then I like to sit under the Mango tree with a cold Magoo, and watch mangos grow. Whatever floats your boat I guess!
Paul,
My second greatest life quality improvement device in the PI, after the on demand hot water, was my oven. I bake 3-4 times a week. White bread, rich and filling. Sour dough french bread, hot toasted with garlic butter… REAL cinnamon rolls made with real butter, serve um up with hot coffee.
Yes, kneading bread is work, but just 10 minutes of it.
My oven does not heat the house at all. I have a typical Filipino house that has lots of windows. Costly? not at all! I estimate that my shellane costs per loaf is under P3.
Bread machine bread is almost always heavy. And it makes only one kind of bread, loaves. My kids like rolls because of less “crust”.
I live far from any “real” bakery like you guys in Manila have access to.
If I am not making bread… what else do I have to do?
Abu Farsi,
Hey friend maybe you could join the palengke of the Kano’s as the head baker and Paul T could concentrate more on beverage distribution while working his machine?
Sir;
Not many of us live in Mega-Manila; I live on a mountain in Bataan. I’ll agree your way of making bread is a good method. The Kenwood machine I have has 15 different recipes programmed into it, if I want some that you mentioned they are there. Albeit I must removed the dough from the machine and use my oven to finish. You mentioned that you have ample time for baking and so that is the best way for you. I have one question: Where did you get the sourdough yeast, I know that is a high maintenance item?
Hey Paul,
Congrats on your new bread machine, or is it now your new hobby? 🙂 I too love the smell and taste of fresh bread. I considered buying a bread machine myself, but I have a problem with kitchen appliances that only serve one purpose since I’m limited on counter space. My solution is the Kitichen-Aid professional style mixer. It comes with a mixing paddle, wire wisk, and a dough hook for bread making. It doesn’t cook it for you, so I just put in in a bread pan, let it rise, and put it in the oven. You can also find Lots of bread machine recipes on line. Good luck
Hello Hudson;
My wife is not that happy about the huge silver box on her counter. We have a lot of floor space in the kitchen so I’m looking for a rolling cart to put it on. I’ve found that harmony is as good as fresh bread, and I like them both. This summer is very hot, and using my oven is out of the question.
Hey paul,
A bit off topic…I know how hot it gets there, so I was considering when I move there, adding an outside kitchen to the house. I also have access to my grandmothers woodburning cookstove. I thought I can put the wood burning stove outside where it won’t heat up the house, and it would also be good when the brown outs occur in Mindanao. What are you thoughts?
Hi Hudson;
There was a lot of talk here on LIP about Outside Kitchens (Dirty Kitchens) I would estimate 99.9% of all houses here have one. The heat is an excellent reason, some cooking odors (that don’t bother me, but do some) and it’s also a good party area. With that I would side with your idea and say “Yup, it’s a good plan.”
I remember when i was a kid my grandmothers used to make fresh homemade bread all the time. being italian i used to have sausage bread ,pepperoni bread with stuffed cheese ohhh man that was delicious fresh pastas all the time ,home made wine when i got older ,it is amazing the memorys and the simple but nice things we remember. I am glad you have a way to recreate the homemade bread in your house. sometimes its the simplest and most basic things in life that make us the happiest fresh bread ,with a cup of good coffee or a cold beer if its not breakfast anymore!!!!!!!
Mike;
You are sooooo right about those memories, may we never lose them, the slightest smell of something we remember can put us right back in our Grandmothers Kitchen. And that’s a place I could have stayed forever. The Italian breads and food I experienced on my first of many trips to Italy. Oh I’d thought I’d had Italian before, and I was so wrong. Walking the main street of Naples, and the smells that flowed from the restaurants and I became a believer. Years later I found that each region of the country I visited, had their own special way of cooking. They would tell me that theirs was the best and I’d always agree, but, the truth was it was all fantastic.