Bread and Salt

I've baked bread for many years beginning back when my children were small with a honey-oatmeal bread recipe my friend found in the Chicago Sun-Times. Since then, I've tried all sorts of breads and rolls. And without fail, even if the result wasn't stellar, it was edible.

Until yesterday.

Yesterday, I ignored my instincts and followed the recipe exactly. It was a new recipe for a roasted garlic-rosemary artisan bread that sounded so delicious I threw caution to the winds and just went with it.

Bad idea.

As a matter-of-course, I drastically cut or eliminate salt from almost everything I make. But this was a new recipe and I rolled with the directions.

Bad idea.

The bread was sooooo salty not even the hunk could choke it down. I double checked that recipe twice. I tracked down other recipes by the same source. It wasn't a typo. All their recipes called for 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS of kosher salt.

I may (at some time in the future) try this bread again -- minus the salt. But for now, I believe I'll go back to my old honey-oatmeal standby. I might try the new artisan techniques. But I'll never again ignore my instincts when they're clamoring.

Salt. A little will go a long way.

anny