[Sca-cooks] bread machines

[Caointiarn]

Does it really matter why Cecelie would like a bread machine?
She asked the list for help and advice and I at least took the question 
seriously and answered offlist.
YES I own a bread machine and use one for a variety of reasons.
Mostly it's a matter of time and convenience, <snip> Perhaps I should drop 
the lists and return to making bread by hand;
would that be a better use of my time?
Johnnae
************
    I’ve been very carefully staying out of the Bread Machine thread.  In 
part it was my own insecurity … “will they think me less the baker if I use 
a bread machine?”.  Yep, I use one.  There is nothing quite like coming home 
to the smell of fresh bread and hot stew as one arrives home from a day of 
work.
Cheers
 Malkin
*****************************

I had posed the question because I was wondering if she was at a place in 
time I once was.
 I had never baked bread / used yeast.  And I was scared to try.  why?  coz 
I heard how hard it was, how time consuming, how rigid measurements had to 
be  {I am not a good measurer  "looks about right" is a typical 
"measurement" for me.}.  So I was contemplating a bread machine.  Then, 
before a decision was really made, at a camping event  the head cook for the 
group asked me to prepare the dough for a flatbread  --I said yes, and she 
left.  THEN I read the instructions about using YEAST!  Yikes  --  I had 
never done this before!  so read, and re-read, put on my big girl apron and 
followed the instructions.  The bread rose, and cooked up well.  I went home 
and practiced some more  -- some failures,  more successes, and now I'm 
comfortable with baking bread.  Do I still throw out a batch?  you betcha! 
but I learn from my mistakes and carry on.

That's why I asked  -- and I thought it would stimulate some discussion 
about bread baking, which it also did.
I am not opposed to using appliances for time constraints or physical 
restraints,  nor do I think less of anyone who enjoys their bread machine.
I just wanted to  know Cecelie's thoughts  about  what she expected from a 
bread machine.

Caointiarn