a salute to Sally Lunn.

Four years ago, on Valentine's Day, Cody brought his old bread machine over to my place as a gift. It sat in my cabinet, untouched, until we got married and then it moved to a new cabinet to sit untouched. Fast forward to six months ago when I discovered that I needed to be on a dairy-free, soy-free diet for Wyatt. And then I discovered that every single loaf of bread* in Publix has soybean oil in it. What's a bread-loving girl to do? Whip out her old bread machine and make her own, of course!

The bread machine came with Betty Crocker's Bread Machine Cookbook, circa 1995, and in it I found a recipe entitled Sally Lunn. "This popular tea bread is believed to have been named for a woman who worked in the bakery where it was created." 

I can tell you why it was popular: it's so good. I have easily made over three dozen loaves so far. And it is so easy to do.

Step 1: compile ingredients.

Step 2: measure ingredients and dump them in the bread machine pan in the order listed.

• 1 egg plus enough water to measure 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 6 Tablespoons softened butter (I use Earth Balance Soy-Free Natural Buttery Spread)
• 3 cups flour (I use either all All-Purpose flour, or 2/3 AP flour and 1/3 Whole Wheat Flour)
• 1 teaspoon bread machine yeast

Step 3: turn on the bread machine.

Step 4: 2 hours and 50 minutes later, enjoy your homemade loaf!

It's so good warm, pulled apart, and slathered with butter. Or toasted and slathered with butter. Or as sandwich bread. Or with honey or peanut butter or peanut butter and honey. I'm trying it as French toast tomorrow...oh, Sally Lunn, I love you!

*There was one variety of bread, Ezekiel Bread, that didn't have soy in it. But it was too expensive for this thrifty person's taste.