Knead!

I made bread with my mixer from some realm another. It was a rather large batch. 12 loaves total (10 mini, 2 large, so the equivalent of 7 large loaves, roughly). Tremendous fun was had while I struggled to subdue the dough, and finally ran around the neighborhood in the middle of the night to place some of it in another oven, seeing as how we didn't have room in ours.

Of course I had to bake it right then. Don't be silly.

And, of course, I can't keep it all to myself. I gave some to the neighbors who helped, some to some nice adolescent males that are about as poor as we are... and I gave some to not-quite-random neighbors.

The flour used to make this bread came, chiefly, from the same neighbors that helped me bake the bread (said the little red hen). They, in turn, got it from people the next block over who were concerned that flour might go bad if you didn't use it minutes after opening the bag. All ten lbs of it.

They used about 5 and couldn't think of what to do with it. So they gave it away. I was told all of this when I received the flour (with the mixer), and expressed as much when I delivered it to them.

The reaction was more than I anticipated. Really. There was dancing in the streets, hosannahs, fireworks... the lot. I swear the woman was crying from joy at home made bread being delivered to her. The husband was beaming as he passed it over, as if he'd delivered the baby Jesus. I can't get over the reaction.

Mind you, I love making bread and giving it out (gratis is a fine word), but I've never seen anyone behave this way over two mini-loaves before. They were even runts, as far as that goes... shorter than other loaves in the batch. Most people just say, "thanks," and shut the door on you...

If I had more flour I'd be baking right now. Anyone who reacts like that needs more than I'm giving.