"How can a nation be great if their bread tastes like Kleenex?" Julia Childs

I'm not a fan of bread in this country; it makes me sluggish and tastes like salty cotton wool. Which has just reminded me of my sister aged four, being forced to eat cotton wool sandwiches for 2 days, on advice from A&E to protect her innards from the drawing pin she had swallowed. I can only imagine that it must have been like eating the sound of nails scratching a blackboard

Yesterday, my friend who does not cook at all -or even make a cup of tea- was taught how to make bread. Inspired, he went home and baked a batch of three loaves one of which he very kindly brought over this afternoon. Impressive. Perfect crust and perfect density; delicious, both toasted and fresh off the knife; with butter and without. (And it was good comfort food after The Tennis, poor Andy :( ). So instead of blaming this country for our poor bread, I should be rebuking my laziness.