I, Deborah of Taste and Tell, promise to make the next Daring Baker’s challenge earlier in the month.
Yep, I procrastinated again. Not quite as bad this month – I wasn’t just finishing up last night or anything, but I just did it this past Saturday. I’m sure that if it wasn’t such a lengthy process, I would have procrastinated even later! But here’s what happened…I kept making excuses all month long of why I couldn’t do it on the weekends. I finally decided that I would do it on Saturday the 24th, but then so many things came up, and what a thought would be a whole day at home ended up being a very busy Saturday. I thought about sitting this one out, but I haven’t missed one yet (and this is already my 8th challenge!!) and I didn’t want to miss this one since I love to make bread. So I set my alarm to get up at 3am. That’s got to show that I am dedicated!!
I’m sure everyone already knows, but this month’s challenge is Julia Child’s French Bread, brought to us by Mary at Breadchick and Sara at I Love to Cook. Let me start off by saying that these girls rock! I really think they should get together and write a bread cookbook, because even though the recipe is extremely long, it was so easy to follow, especially with Mary and Sara’s comments. So, thank you Mary and Sara – for helping me to make my first Julia Child recipe!
I’m gonna keep this short since everyone out there in blog land seems to be writing about French bread today. Like I said above, Mary and Sara, along with Julia Child, made some very clear and concise directions in my opinion. I still really need to learn how to shape bread – that seems to be the biggest problem for me when I am making it. I’ve made French bread before, but none of it has even compared to this recipe. I absolutely loved it!! In fact, I ate the small round all by myself later in the afternoon after I made the bread!! And I think I’m lucky and must live in the perfect climate, because my bread took the perfect amount of time to rise – no less and no longer. I do have to proof it in the oven because at this time of year, it would take a lot of extra work from my furnace to make my house 70F.
I will be making this recipe again one day when I am going to be around the house a bit. It takes very little hands on time, and the result is totally worth it!
Be sure to check out the other results at the Daring Baker’s Blogroll. And the recipe (don’t be intimidated by the size of it!) can be found on Mary’s blog here.
Deborah, lovely! I am amazed that you woke at 3am to make bread! The second time I used less yeast and let it rise overnight so my bread was done by noon. I loved the recipe and the taste. Yum! Oh, and you best be completing your promise next month!
Your bread came out beautifully! Well done!
Well, deborah I must say you’ve done Julia proud. Your bread looks awesome!
Wow! 3 am is total dedication. But it looks like it was worth it. Your bread looks great!
Yout loaves are a thing of beauty
Sometimes we do what we have to do get the challenge done and 3 AM is not unrealistic 
I am glad I made baguettes because I could cheat a little and eat one straight from the oven slathered in butter 
I thought I was nuts getting up at 5:30. We are indeed dedicated Daring Bakers. And your bread looks great!
I proofed in the oven too. getting my house to 70 in Feb in Michigan was not going to happen either. The bread looks good enough to eat.
Oh Deborah, you woke up at 3 to make the bread! But I think that bread totally worth it!
Well done.
that’s true dedication, getting up that early to bake! Brava!
Yay for you! I totally procrastinated too. I didn’t make mine until Wednesday night. I was in and out of bed tending to the rises. I felt like I had a crying baby for a night… Lovely work by you.
Your bread looks fantastic! Great job :O)
Your bread is beautiful! I had to laugh about the vow not to procrastinate as it’s one of my constant vows – but more about that – later…hee!
Nice job!
x x x
I’m very impressed! 3 a.m is total dedication. I am in the process of joining the daring bakers, and I am sooooo excited to get started!
3am is dedication! Well done!
mmmmhmmmhmmhm! This looks so good! Great job!!
I’m going to be dying for bread and butter tonight after surfing through all the Darking Baker blogs today.
Love your bread.
Great looking bread Deborah!! 3am? Yikes girl!
It really does look great!
I am having the most delightful day of carbs looking at everyone’s posts. And, points to you for being up at the crack of dawn (before, even) to have the authentic breadmaking experience
Great job, Deborah. 3 am? I got up at 6:30 and I thought that was early :-p That is dedication!
Those loaves look great. Congratulations!
3 am?!?! That is some amazing dedication! Your bread looks great!
I know we DBs are a bit mad but 3 am?!!! Seriously Deborah your crumbs look great well done!
You are so totally dedicated. Way more then me. You did a fab job, beautiful bread!
Beautiful bread!! And don’t you worry about waiting until the last minute, pressure obviously pays off for you!
I want a slice now!
Talk about dedication! Your breads look wonderful!
What commitment! And your bread turned out lovely so it looks like it was worth the effort. I, too, ate at least one of the loaves all by myself so I’m glad I’m not the only one!
I think it looks great!
I have a hard time shaping bread, myself.
3 AM?! I got to bed that late.
You are dedicated.
I think you did a great job! The loaves look fantastic.
that’s a good looking loaf.
i just joined the daring bakers and can’t wait to find out about the march recipe!
Great job! your loaves look divine!
Deborah, that’s what I call dedication! Beautiful bread – you did great!
You woke up at 3am?! I can work through pain, but I can not get up at 3am to make bread.
Your breads look lovely. I think you are very talented.
It looks great, Deborah
3 am is a little early for me, but that ensured you ate it at a resonable hour.You have a natural way with breads( previous posts) so it soesnt surprise me that you did well with this.Great job.
Your breads look sooo good.
Getting up at 3am to bake bread does show dedication! Nice looking bread!
Deborah, WOW 3AM and I thought I was nuts (you can join Ilva, Karen, and Tanna on the next huge bakefest!)
Your bread is the picture perfect French Bread. And yes, it is easy to eat a whole loaf yourself isn’t it
thanks for all the kind (blush) comments and for joining Sara and I on this month’s challenge.
Cheers!
I’m such a procrastinator too… only I did mine until the wee hours of the morning, instead of starting then. Great job, as always. And I’m glad we both stuck it out, this was a great challenge.
oh snap, 3 AM! that is intense; but I bet it was worth it because that bread looks wonderful!
the bread looks lovely! and all the best for the new month resolution!
Looks great deb, well done!
Wow 3am that is dedicated. It looks like it was worth the efort though – great bread
Real baker spirit, to rise that early! Congrats on a challenge welld done!
Looks incredible.
Nice job on the bread!
You should try to make a no-knead bread recipe next time. It’s really easy and really good. A great recipe was published in the NYtimes last year. I wrote a post about it in my blog about 2 months ago. Cheers!
Such a lovely bread you ad baked there, it is worth the time! well done!
Phew, that must have been an interesting morning. You qualify for true baker status getting up that early! Good luck with your outdoor kitchen this summer–Lucky you!!!
You are truly dedicated! I’m glad you were happy with the result; great bread is worth getting up at 3am for.
What a gorgeous final result!
Glorious looking bread.
Your bread looks good. Mine didn’t turn out well. But after seeing so many successes, I think I’ll give this a try, once more but a little later on.
3am!? My goodness that’s dedication! Your bread looks great!
Goodness! I’m beginning to lose track of whom I’ve visited and who not…And I’m the one who needs to work on my shapes — when you consider I only made one! Look at yours! Lovely bread, Deb.
Wow, your bread looks perfect! Well done!
Your bread is gorgeous…congrats on first Julia Child recipe! Oven proofing is often the only way I can do it, too. We are heated by woodstove and solar only…fortunately it was sunny during my making of the French Bread.
Deb,
I officially give you the medal for the most dedicated DB for Feb. 3am is early, waaaay too early, esp. for a weekend. Well done on completing this challenge, your 8th! wow.
Nora
i agree that shaping it is the hardest part!
your loaves look great!
WOW! When I see 3 a.m. it’s usually because I’ve stayed up late, not because I’ve gotten up early! Well done!
well done. Your bread looks great. Thanks for your lovely comments too/.
You are definitely dedicated to get up at 3am to make the bread. Your bread came out beautifully.
I hear you about procrastination! I have a bad habit of waiting until the last minute. But, your efforts were worth it because the bread looks delicious!
Well done Deborah!
the slashing is fab! Your bread is beautiful!
Your bread looks amazing! Great work!
Oh, your bread looks so pretty! I always LOVE the round breads. Whenever I go into the bakery I want to buy them all. Yours makes me feel the same way!
Glad it turned out so well for you, looks wonderful!
Great job! It looks wonderful. If I had procrastinated it wouldn’t have gotten done, so I’m impressed!
Great job on the challenge Deborah!
I know what you mean about procrastinating… I’m a pro at it and almost ran out of time to do my bread and post before having to leave town! See ya next time…
Julia would be so proud! Beautiful bread!
Wow–am impressed with your dedication to the DBs…0300h?
Looks lovely.
j
Your bread looks great! Very well done!
Cheers,
Rosa
Now tha’s what I call dedication! Your hard work paid off, the bread looks awesome!
Deborah, beautiful bread! You definitely had success and it came out really well.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/11540351035366591645
Deborah, Your bread looks great! Getting up at 3 – oh, my, I don’t think I would have done that – even with loving to cook.
Your photography is excellent too. I have a real appreciation for it since I’ve tried to take pictures of my food. It’s hard!!