My wife and I have been active in local politics since the presidential election in 2016. After the election, we just felt that we needed to do our part to engage the democratic process – and decided that volunteering at the town and county level political committees was the best way to flex our civic muscles.
I mention this because today I am proud to announce a new way I have decided to change the way we do things in this country. I have officially launched a “Bake America Great Again” campaign on the interwebs.
You may think I’m goofing around here, but let me tell you I mean business. Small business, that is. That’s right, I’ve opened a virtual storefront to sell “Bake America Great Again” wares. Help me get out the message by buying aprons, potholders, t-shirts, totes, and mugs with the “Bake America Great Again” slogan (great Christmas presents!).
Let’s get folks into their kitchens, baking awesome tasting homemade bread and sharing it with friends and family. Think about that: people happily eating quality bread, their mouths so full they won’t be able to talk politics. I think you’d find that we’d all get along quite nicely that way. Now that would make this country truly great.
Oh, yeah. Almost forgot. Here’s a really tasty recipe for Brie Rye Bread…
Brie Rye Bread
Ah, the subtle sharp sourness of rye tempered by the smooth creaminess of brie. Good stuff.
Ingredients
- 2 scant tablespoons (or 2 ¼-ounce packages) active dry yeast
- 2½ cups warm water about 110 degrees
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups rye flour
- 3½ to 4½ cups unbleached flour
- 10-12 ounces Brie cheese
Instructions
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In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Add honey, oil, salt, rye flour, and 2 cups unbleached flour. Beat vigorously for two minutes.
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Gradually add flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
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Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
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Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about one hour.
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Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and flatten to about ½-inch thick. Place slices of brie across the dough and roll up into a cylinder. Knead the dough long enough to distribute the cheese throughout the dough. Divide the dough in half, cover with a tightly woven towel, and let rest for 5 minutes.
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Shape the bread into loaves Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
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About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Just before baking, cut 3 or 4 diagonal slits, about ½-inch deep, into the top of each loaf.
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Bake for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaves reaches 190 degrees.
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10. Immediately remove bread from pans and cool on a rack.