"Knead well. It perfects the texture of the bread, and, more important, it is good for your soul. There are few actions you will ever take that have more of the stuff of history in them. A woman with her sleeves rolled up and flour on her hands is one of the most gorgeous stabilities in the world. Don't let your family miss the sight."
(Quote from pg.153 of Capon's Supper of the Lamb-A Culinary Reflection)
This reminded me of another Capon quote - "Few of us have many great things to care about, but we all have plenty of small ones: and that's enough for the dance. It is precisely through the things we put on the table, and the liturgies we form around it, that the city is built: caring is more than half the work."
ReplyDeleteRobert Farrar Capon, Bed and Board
And now I must read Capon! Thank you for that!
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me of my mom ;-)!
ReplyDeleteI have always loved that quote (there's just something about the way Capon says things!) Every time I knead bread I feel so...domestic :)
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm going to give my Kitchen Aid a break and start kneading by hand sometimes, only because this world certainly needs some more gorgeous stabilities. :P
ReplyDelete(p.s. Every time I read the title of this post my mind switches that line in Ben Hur about rowing to, "Knead well, and live.")
ReplyDeleteI've not been happy with my bread machine lately. I'll take this as a sign that I should make my bread the old fashioned way more often. And read Capon.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I make bread in my bread machine I always have it just make the dough so I can knead it by hand. I like the homey feeling and I think of all the other women from bible times to pioneers that did the same thing. :-)
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