The Stuffing(s) and A Good Loaf of Bread

The turkeys are now processed and sitting in a row in the barn fridge, waiting for their chance to shine this Thursday. And shine they will. But for now, they are not the only items that need to be addressed to prepare for that great day. Of course, I’m talking about the Stuffing. If I were to wait until Thursday to begin, there would be nothing of that nature to be had. Because to be a true and proper stuffing, the bread must be stale. And to be stale, it must be made in the first place and allowed to get that way. This year, we will be having Stuffing two ways, one as would be expected; a nice white loaf, sliced and properly dried, laden with celery and sage, shallots and garlic, drenched in butter and a good chicken bone broth. This stuffing will bake alongside the bird, receiving a frequent slathering of those juices produced. Now. I did say two. The second stuffing will be slightly more adventurous. This will be made with my sprouted wheat bread (it can handle it), and while it will still have it’s share of celery and onions, bone broth and garlic, the similarities end there. There will be sausage–a nice marjoram-studded polish, and dried apples and cherries, and overrun with chunked portabella, and instead of that sage, fresh rosemary will be the herb holding that top note. Now, this herb will also be baked alongside the Bird, but it will not benefit from it’s juices, as the first will. No. This Stuffing will be glazed and glazed often, with bacon fat.

But, as said earlier, before any and all Stuffings may be had, the bread must be made, so that is what is taking place in the Farm Kitchen today. Two loaves–one White Loaf, one Sprouted Wheat (along with two mini-loafs alongside–I know my family well. There will be no bread left for the Stuffing, otherwise). I have given the recipe for my Sprouted Wheat here before, but as of yet, I have not shared my Basic White Loaf. Well. Here it is:

Four and a half cups white flour (organic all-purpose is best, I get mine from Azure Standard) is placed in a bowl along with two teaspoons instant yeast. This is stirred together. Four tablespoons sugar is added, along with one and a half teaspoons salt. Four and a half tablespoons melted and cooled butter is added next as well as one and a half cup slightly warmed whole milk. This is all stirred until smooth and kneaded until smoother and set to rest on a floured counter and covered with a towel for an hour and a half. It is then gently shaped shaped into a right and proper load, being careful not to let out all that air it spent building up. It is placed into a well-oiled loaf pan and covered (again) with a towel and left to rest (again) for an hour and a half. It should be nicely rounded, looking like a right and proper loaf about now. It is then placed into a preheated three hundred and fifty degree oven and left to bake until done. And when it is done, it is taken from the pan and allowed to cool on a rack. Now. DO NOT even think about cutting into it until is has. No matter how tempting it may be. While this bread is very delicious, it is also very fragile and will collapse onto itself if sliced while warm. You’ve been warned.

Now. If you’re making this loaf for stuffing, as I am, you will (after it is cool) slice it and let it set out to properly dry, at least three days before it is needed. Which means if you want to have this lovely loaf for your Thanksgiving meal, you will need to make it today, or tomorrow at the latest.