Our Daily Bread

One of my favorite things is preparing a home cooked meal more or less from scratch.  My love of cooking began in college at the same time as my lifelong love affair with Spain.  I was amazed to discover that you could prepare a meal that didn't consist of pre-packaged ingredients.  That the taco seasoning packet was really just a mixture of chile powder, garlic and herbs.  Who knew?

I have known many incredible cooks in my life but there is one that taught me that a cookbook isn't a requirement.  Jose.  I lived with him and his wife, Monica for a few months when I first moved to Spain.  Jose's ability to pull together a gourmet meal from the contents of his fridge and the creativity of his mind simply amazed me.  I cherished the evenings after work when we would all congregate in the kitchen, sipping on a cerveza, chopping vegetables, making sofrito, and discussing the events of the day. Now, mind you, I barely spoke Spanish at this point, but because we were focused on the act of creating, I learned so much and we always figured out a way to understand each other despite not speaking each other's language.

To this day, one of the most sacred things to me is breaking bread with the ones I love.  There is an incredible intimacy and closeness that comes from sitting around the table, loving, laughing, and sharing.

Outside of Spain, I am not sure that I have ever had a decent piece of bread.  Pan de Lena spoiled me rotten all of those years in Spain.  You know, the kind that has a thick crusty outside and a warm soft inside. The kind that you scrape across the serving bowl to soak up the juices.  Yummmmm..... 

Since being home, I am more likely to serve white rice than bread.  I just can't pay the small fortune that a gourmet loaf of bread costs...not to mention I would have to drive across town to find such a thing.  Why this new found obsession with bread?  I recently became the owner of a mini bread maker.  I thought I'd try it out.  The loaves only come out about 5" wide and 4" high.  Perfect for two :-)  I honestly wasn't expecting much, but that first loaf of bread that I baked was a slice of heaven and brought back all the memories of  breaking bread in Spain.

So tonight, in honor of my love of Spain, I wanted to create a meal centered around a fresh loaf of bread.  (Admittedly, this sounds so odd after being back in the US and the anti-carb craze era we live in.)  In my defense for those terrified of the carbs, the bread is made from organic whole wheat flour.  To accompany the bread there will be a simple grilled mahi mahi fillet with a garlic chips and a vinaigrette and steamed cauliflower garnished with paprika.  oh so simple, but incredible.