Almost exactly seven years ago, I posted my requiem to our bread machine.
We bought this bread machine back around 1998 or so, when I finally
realized I don't have much by way of breadmaking skills. Don is a
sandwich guy and loves bread, so if we bought all bread from the store,
it would have cost a fortune. Over the subsequent years, this faithful
machine made literally thousands of loaves at a cost of
probably thirty cents a loaf (ingredients + electricity). Sadly after 20 years, it finally bit the dust.
Yesterday I started a loaf of bread, partly for Don's sandwiches and partly for bread stuffing for Thanksgiving. I started the machine and then began working another project, so I wasn't paying much attention to it.
But after a bit I heard the machine emitting some distressed beeps. And was it kneading? I started paying attention and realized no, it wasn't kneading. And what was that smell?
The smell was electrical. Plus it was kind of "humming." I unplugged it right away, then tried replugging it in. The machine started humming again, and conspicuously refused to knead. Well nuts. Another faithful machine bites the dust. I didn't want to risk an electrical fire, so I unplugged it and took the bucket of bread ingredients out.
But wait, we had yet another identical model on hand. I fetched it from the barn loft, dusted it off, put the bucket with the bread ingredients into it, and voilà: It worked perfectly.
This machine, too, was an inexpensive thrift-store find from several years ago.
Now we're tasked with throwing away the old machine. Maybe in the vain hope some handy person can fix it, I'll put it next to the dumpsters with an explanatory note and hope for the best.
Meanwhile, we'll keep our eyes peeled in thrift stores for yet another Regal Kitchen Pro. They really are excellent machines ... although to be fair, probably almost any thrift-store machine will work fine.
Rest in peace, bread machine.
Your post reminded me that I need a backup coffee pot. Put the last "reserved" one out on the counter recently. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
SJ now in California
I'm on my fifth or sixth bread maker. Some we've bought, one I won from a local store, bought one at a neighbor's garage sale, inherited one from my daughter, thrift store found one and recently got one for less than half price that was a floor model. I make rolls for sandwiches, burgers, whatever most of the time on "Dough" setting. My recipe has a little honey and oatmeal in it and is a favorite of my grands, too!
ReplyDeleteFor about three years, I bought breadmakers, cleaned them up, baked a loaf of bread and sold them for $10 more than I paid. One guy asked me why one was $13 and one was $14. I just smiled and shrugged my shoulders. Back then there was a great push to make bread because of prepper and thrifty sights. So, they were everywhere and cheap. I still have the one I bought sealed in the box. I don't like making bread, even in a machine. Plus, the square loaf of bread always had a hole in it. I aways eat too much because I love homemade bread.
ReplyDeleteI have a backup crockpot. I won it, but it is too heavy to move empty. I have several backup appliances.
FWIW, I started doing no-knead bread a few years ago (Breadtopia has videos on it, and it's basically the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day approach). It's easy and less technology-dependent... and only slightly more hands-on than the breadmaker. It works for me. I otherwise have no bread talents, either.
ReplyDeleteLately I've been mostly using my breadmaker for pickled sourdough rye or pretzels/pretzel rolls. And yes, I do dip the pretzels in a lye solution before baking. Baking soda just doesn't taste the same. And happy Thanksgiving to all!
ReplyDelete