Making and Breaking Bread

Most of the time, we go to work to bring in the bread, the paper, sweet baby cash, the big green, whatever you want to call it. Today, for the first time ever, I went to work and ended up making a different kind of bread. The real kind of bread. Garlic Italian to be exact.

Yup, we've got a bread maker at work now. I will be enjoying the sweet homemade flavor of artisan breads the likes of cinnamon raisin, whole wheat and a host of others. The possibilities are only limited by the selection offered at our local grocer. And with simple add water instructions, even someone with my culinary skills is qualified enough to act as baker. Sure, it sounds like a howitzer when it's kneading, but there's nothing better than a sandwich made with two warm slices of white pulled straight from the oven.

The little slice of dough kneading heaven is located directly across from me in the cubicle on the other side of my team's little passageway. And let me tell you, the smell from that thing when it clicks and whistles into bake mode is enough to make you want to eat your own hand. It's so delightful. Seriously, this morning I had to force my finger out of my mouth with my free hand just before I bit down. Things could have got ugly but thankfully I'm a handsome devil and that never happens. There's just no getting away from the smell, which the building's air handling system did an admirable job picking up and distributing throughout the office. The building is as long as a football field and there was honestly no escaping it. It was like a wonderful nasal nuke had been dropped in the office and I was sitting in the epicenter just taking it all in. People said the office smelled similar to a Subway - the fast food place, not mass transit - but I found that offensive. What we had going, Subway could only dream of. I know they'll spit the corporate line and say they make all their bread fresh, but personally, I've never seen dough anywhere in that place. Their employees never come out of the back covered in flour or meal. I think it's all a marketing ploy. A cruller conspiracy - and, yes, I know they don't serve deep fried dough, twisted and covered with sugar at Subway, but I like the way it sounded. At the office, we're so much above all that. Truthfully, they should add "maker of the best bread in town" as an occupation on our business cards.

God what a great day. Now I've got to run to the story to pick up some seven grain mix or maybe some banana for breakfast. I'm certain there's no way I can go wrong on this one.