Ricotta Loaf

 Rose's Ricotta Loaf is a bread that defies classification.

It just can't be pinned down.

Not a fluffy yeast bread.  Not a dense tea bread.

It lies somewhere in the middle with a flavor 

all its own.

It definitely is a simple bread to make.

Flour, sugar, yeast are stirred together.

Ricotta, butter, egg and salt are then added and 

eventually water to guarantee it is a nice, moist dough. 

Ten minutes in the mixing bowl with a dough hook and

Voila!

Lovely dough.

I was so pleased that I promptly sent off a picture to my 

Bread Bible Baking daughter

as proof I'd finally gotten underway.

But this is what I sent instead~

Which is why one

should not bake without

one's glasses, 

let along text pictures.

They look exactly the same with my blurry vision.

They're on your head, Mrs. Richards

Into the microwave with cups of hot water

for a steamy rise, although why I just

didn't let it rise outside in the humidity is beyond me.

I blame the weather for melting any and all 

common sense I might have had left.

Proofed and ready for the oven.

Wish I could say the same for wedging

ice cubes into the pan lying on the oven floor.

It's like some mad cap ring toss carnival game at the fair

and I sure didn't win any prizes.

A few cursory adjectives may have been

uttered when I noticed the instructions to

turn and tent with foil.

See above about humidity.

Luckily no harm done.

As a bonus for clearing out the freezer

a forgotten jar of lemon curd was found.

This bread is good.  It's very good.  It's too good

with jam.

And tea with the Earl.