Fresh Bread: Gluten-free Glory

Well, the simple blood test let me rest assured that I don't have celiac disease - but it didn't tell me why I feel so much better keeping 90% of wheat and related glutens out of my body.  Or what we should do about the carbs we love the best: bread and pasta.

Both of us grew up with the rare pleasure of home-baked bread; but the bread machine had been tucked away in storage for years.  Since baking (even with a machine) is not my forte, I do helpful sous-chef tasks like picking the rosemary, getting three eggs out to warm up, stirring the sourdough starter, and of course, expressing gratitude.  Basha does the rest, with the help of three guides:  memories from her grandmother's kitchen; a gluten-free baking pamphlet a friend copied in the days before many books on the topic were available; and a copy of Bread Machine Magic.

Each loaf comes out a little different, but delicious every time.  The warm yeasty aroma fills the house while we putter at weekend chores; and cutting a hot slice (as soon as the loaf is cool enough to cut) is irresistible.  Eggy yet light and moist and chewy, with a lovely golden crust, this bread in no way resembles the gluten-free doorstops sold in groceries.  With a little restraint, a loaf lasts us a week.