Bun In The Oven

OMG. I just took a lavender-infused bath, and I'm somewhat recovered but I reek of yeast.

A quick recap of today, week 3:

Crusty Breads in the a.m., most via the simplest "Straight Dough" method:

• French Bread—mine was the only one that seemed to work, and the birthing of the bread was very satisfying. Golden, attractive, and beautifully shaped, scored, and risen? Oui. French Bread? Non. Pas du tout.
  
• Italian Bread—one of these tasted like water, and I saw no real difference between the "Italian" Bread and the "French" Bread, except maybe the lack of a tablespoon or two of both sugar and shortening.
  
• Challah—no one made this, and I kind of wish I had.
  
• Cuban Bread—not Dee's best, but good flavor.
  
• Focaccia (rough translation: old shoe or slipper)—see below. (Made via the "Sponge Method.")
  

Lunch:

• Homemade Focaccia Pizza with Sauteed Vegetables, Tomato Sauce, and Fresh Mozzarella—sauce with vegetables: shout out to Chef Nola! Functional base, but not particularly flavorful, and later I was so full, I felt like I'd eaten a brick of Focaccia.
  

Soft Breads:

• Whole Wheat Rolls—tasted better than they looked, made by the new guy from last week.
  
• Savory Egg Rolls with Vegetables—surprisingly successful looking, like one of those Easter buns with the artificially-colored dried fruit sticking out, but in a good way. Taste: second only to Pita. Made by the other guy in the class, a restaurant lifer, very earnest, told me today that no one would hire me as a dishwasher.
  
• Soft Rolls with Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Raisins—never even came out of the oven, I don't think, which was too bad 'cause I was actually looking forward to those. But after I saw a hair on one of the products—through the convection oven door even—I went home.
  
• Pita—what can I say? Impressive!
  

There is so much bread at my house right now, and though the Pita is gone, thanks to Daughter Judy, the rest I can't even give away. "I live in Brooklyn!" declared D.J.'s babysitter's brand new boyfriend.

Alors, tomorrow I will make French toast for breakfast, bread pudding (dream on, J.!), croutons, and bread crumbs.

P.S. I'm supposed to be on a constant yeast-free diet, by the way, as on yeast, I, too, am like a bun in the oven.

Next class in two weeks. Operative word: Cheesecake.