All right, so I wasn’t going to write about bread. I mean, come on, there are already so many things written about bread and even more recipes than anyone can ever read!
But I couldn’t resist. After I pulled out the last couple of home made loaves of whole wheat bread from the oven…..the aroma, the soft crumb, the butter melting into it, and then the first bite….oh, excuse me, where was I now…..
Bread of course. It’s gotten a really bad reputation and people think it’s evil. My my those carbs are gonna kill you. If that’s the case, then why did Jesus break bread with the disciples. Notice he didn’t break a salad, or some soup. No, it was bread!
We also say, “bread of life” – ever heard of the veggies of life? Anyhow, pardon the digression. Just couldn’t resist.
Well, the carbs in bread won’t kill you. In fact, if you make your bread right, it’s a health blessing for all those that manage to get a piece. See, I make breads different for different people. For example, a good friend of mine has diabetes, so I make whole wheat bread, with added bran, some flax seeds, and cooked oatmeal. Sometimes I add some nuts, or olives, for variety. To give the yeast a jump start, I add some honey to the starter dough.
For another friend who is on a high protein diet, but loves bread, I proof the yeast in either milk or soy milk, and add blended cottage cheese or tofu, or chunks of cheese to the dough.
You get the idea. Bread is not the enemy. It is the staff of life. And, if you make it yourself (and why bother eating bread if it comes from a store!) it is what you want it to be.
One more thing: don’t worry about all these measurements, and fuss about the yeast. I have yet to make a batch of bread that didn’t get gobbled up the minute it came out of the oven. Oh, and those breadmaker gadgets….all right so some people like them – I am not among those. I mean, why bother? If I want homemade bread, I don’t want some machine to make it. I might as well buy the bread in the store.
So, now that you know how I feel about bread – you are pobably wondering – ok, so she has a bread fetish – but what does THAT have to do with Jung SuWon? What does bread have to do with Martial Arts? Or, with Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim?
More than you might think.
On a physical level, you develop a lot of strength in your hand and arm muscles in the kneading process. And believe me, if you have ever made a large amount of whole wheat, or sour dough, or rye bread, you know what I am talking about. You’ll end up looking like Arnold after a few batches. Well, maybe not quite….
Most doughs also benefit from being punched a bit, so go ahead and practice some punches. Your dough will be grateful!
Then on the Ki energy level, think about putting all your good thoughts into the bread, visualize how people will just love it, think how you are going to make them happy, and keep them healthy….
And! Ever learned how to do CPR? Well, practice the heart compression on your bread dough…..
So, there you have it! And next time I’ll put down some basic recipes…..pull out your aprons!
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