classic whole wheat sandwich bread

     Before I became interested in food blogging, I proclaimed myself photography-averse. I just wasn't "that kind of person", I thought. I shied away from having photos taken of myself on trips or special occasions, since I thought it was a waste of time. To be fair, the only photos my family takes are the kinds where several people stand grinning at the camera, faces harshly illuminated by a naked flash...hardly professional photography. But I just didn't really value photos.

     In hindsight, I really regret it. There are so many events in my life over the past several years which have gone undocumented. Sure, I can visualize them in my brain, but a picture is so much more tangible, and so much more valuable. After all, it captures a fragile, fleeting moment of time, never to be reproduced.

     So I suppose I am a "photography person" now. I do my best to document my life. I mean, I don't have an Instagram, and I don't photograph everything I eat or do or everybody I spend my time with. But I'm more aware of the value of a picture. What's more, I actually enjoy photography, especially of food. I'm willing to spend time fussing over composition and color and lighting, and it's really satisfying.
     There will always be things that won't be and can't be immortalized in a photo. Like the chill of an early morning as I go for a run, or the tang of balsamic vinegar catching in my throat, or the darkness that seems to envelop me while I wait for the bus on school days, beaten back only by the rings of orange light cast by street lamps. More important, it seems to me, is to not worry about what I didn't and can't preserve, and to remember that I still have an entire lifetime to create and record memories.

     What did that soliloquy have to do with this bread? Close to nothing. Hahaha! I just felt like I had to talk about the guilt I sometimes feel over not documenting everything in my life. But, anyways...this bread was the first successful sandwich bread I've made. I've tried making sandwich bread from the Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day master recipe. While it definitely would have made an excellent crusty, artisan-style loaf, it didn't hold up well as a sandwich loaf. So I tried a recipe for "classic whole wheat bread" from online, and it worked so much better. I let the dough rise on a Saturday morning as I went to the local thrift store and bought some cardigans, books (another thing I hoard like nobody's business), and baking pans. I came back, shaped the loaf, let it proof, and I had the best whole-wheat sandwich bread I've ever made by lunchtime. My mom and I devoured it in a matter of days. It doesn't have very much whole-wheat flour, but it has a tender crumb, and is excellent toasted, with some mashed avocado, salt, and pepper on top.

Classic Whole Wheat Bread
adapted from Allrecipes
makes one 9"x5" or 8"x4" loaf (I'm a fan of the latter, as it makes the bread look taller and plumper)

2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup milk (as usual, I used almond milk with no repercussions)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten

In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the milk, vegetable oil, whole wheat flour, 1 cup of the all-purpose flour and the salt; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Grease a 9"x5" or a 8"x4" loaf pan. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Form into a loaf shape (if you're new to bread baking, this tutorial may help). Place the loaf into the pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Brush the risen loaf with lightly beaten egg. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool for ten minutes, then take the bread out of the pan and let cool for at least half an hour.