I would have to say without question that the favourite bread of Maritimers is brown bread.
Made with molasses and rolled oats… it has a slightly sweet taste.
It has been traditionally served with baked beans for a Saturday night or Sunday supper.
My Grandmother Ada, who was born in 1915, remembers her mother soaking beans and making brown bread on Saturday night so that Sunday could be a day of rest.
And when I was a child, the call of fresh brown bread from the oven would cause a stampede to the kitchen by my brother & I. And my father would always have a slice with butter with his supper at the end of the work day.
It also makes the best toast on planet earth.
When I met an old high school friend for a beer this summer in Nova Scotia, he told me that takes brown bread from Nova Scotia back to Alberta{his home for the last 20+ years} with him when he visits in the summer.
And another old high school friend told me that she takes this bread back to Texas with her too.
For Maritimers, brown bread is a part of us…a comfort food and a taste that we long for, no matter what part of the world we live in.
The hallmark of this bread is a texture with large holes which provides its tenderness and wonderful mouth feel.
And you must have it with salted butter. That’s just the rule!
***
The recipe I most often use for brown bread is a recipe for the breadmaker.
I like that it takes 5 minutes to dump in the ingredients, and then I walk away until the loaf is done a few hours later.
The downside of the breakmaker recipes is that it only makes one loaf.
And my kids have been know to fight over the slices and who has eaten how many!
Put ingredients in the order listed in the breakmaker:
1.5 cups water, 1 tablespoon less if rainy day
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup molasses {Crosby’s Fancy Molasses}
2 Tablespoons shortening
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cupes flour
2 teaspoons yeast
I set my breakmaker on the wholewheat setting which takes 4 hours and 10 minutes.
Do not be discouraged if the bread doesn’t turn out on the first try.
Try changing the bread setting or check the yeast.
I have had ‘fails’ before and I keep trying!
Do not be discouraged if the bread doesn’t turn out on the first try.
Try changing the bread setting or check the yeast.
I have had ‘fails’ before and I keep trying!
I am learning more and more of facebook friends who are reading my blog.
This really surprises me!
I want to say thank you so much to all of you!
Thank you from the bottom to the top of my heart!
Thank you from the bottom to the top of my heart!
I am humbled, and flattered beyond measure.
I often question why I blog. Some days I am not sure.
It has become a creative outlet for me as it combines so many things that I love…but most of all sharing.
I love sharing ideas, recipes, photos, crafts and projects.
And I find that the blogging world has helped to inspire me in so many ways.
I try new recipes.
I take on new projects.
For me, it adds to the fun of creating a house & home for my family!
This post is linked to these terrific parties:
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Angie,
Thanks for writing your blog. As someone who doesn't always have the confidence for home decorating or creative cooking, your blog reminds me that "love is in the details" and I choose to do better for my family and my home. It doesn't have to be complicated…just from the heart and that is what the kids will remember. Keep blogging and inspiring.
Diane
I find that I REALLY want a slice of that bread and a bowl of beans – looks delish. My bread maker broke a few years back, but I am going to start looking around for a new one. A couple of my FB friends complimented me on a post I did the other day – I, too, was shocked that they had taken the time to read it. It was flattering, but also made me feel like someone was listening to my random rants and mom-isms. (:
Great post! I too want to try the bread. Never had I thought about owning a breadmaker but I may have to look into it. It's nice when good food is associated with a good story, quite nostalgic!
This bread looks so good!!! I love love bread! I miss the Italian bakeries from Niagara falls …the best ever! I know how you feel about your heritage bread. My son misses the bread from back home too!
Pamela xo
(I wish i kepted my bread machine…I would have made this!!)
This looks lovely – I found some tips for those of us without bread machines that may want to give your recipe a try. I plan on trying this one out tomorrow. 😀
Converting a Bread Machine Recipe into a Traditional Style Recipe
-Proof the yeast (dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar in warm water, amount will depend on the recipe).
-Combine the ingredients and mix well.
-Knead the dough until smooth and soft.
-Let rise until doubled.
-Punch down, and shape into a loaf.
-Place bread in a greased loaf pan, or on a baking sheet for a round loaf.
-Rise again until doubled.
-Bake, as most bread is baked in a moderate oven, about 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) this is a good temperature to start with.
-Bake for 40 to 50 minutes (this will depend on your oven and the bread itself so be careful here), or until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
Hope that helps some of you that want to make this sans bread machine.
Looks tasty! Have a delightful weekend, Kellie xx
On my Fall to-do list is "start making bread". I've never made bread before…and this brown bread looks delish! I have a favorite market I buy brown bread from …but really…I should be making it. This fall, I'll going to conquer my fear of all things dough/yeast….bread…pizza dough, etc. 🙂
I have been making bread to sell at the local Farmer's Market this summer. I just posted all about it. This looks like something I will be trying this coming week. It is so close the recipe I am now using. Sounds so delicious.
Homemade bread sounds fantastic on this windy morning. I think that I will give this a try.
Have a fantastic week.
That looks delicious. May have to get out the bread maker tonight and whip some up! I am also so very glad you blog! Your are an inspiration, girl!! And no I am not pregnant, thank goodness:) the dresser is for a client. I have all the little feet a girl could ask for!
This looks wonderful! Can't wait to try the recipe for our next Sunday evening dinner.
xo E + J
Oh goodness! This looks absolutely Delicious! I would love it if you would share this and/or any other projects you have been up to at Tuesday Talent Show at Chef In Training Tomorrow! Thanks so much and I hope to see you there!
-Nikki
http://chef-n-training.blogspot.com/
I made this today using my standard No Knead recipe and add the oatmeal and molasses, no shortening. It is so good. I'm sure it will stay moist with the molasses in it. I used stoneground all purpose flour.
This looks so yummy!! I have got to get me a bread maker! I LOVE wheat bread and if it tastes anything like it looks, it will be amazing!! 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up to Strut Your Stuff Saturday! We would love to have you come back this weekend and link up more of your great posts!
Camille @
SixSistersStuff.blogspot.com
yum! Thanks so much for linking up to Tuesday Talent Show! I would love to have you stop by and link up again tomorrow with more great projects!
-Nikki
http://chef-n-training.blogspot.com/
I LOVE brown bread!!! As cheesy as it sounds, it does remind me of mother's love. Brown Bread and potato soup is my favorite cool weather meal.
Haley @thedistractedblogger
looks really great! Would love for you to come and link to my tasty tuesday party. http://nap-timecreations.blogspot.com/
Hi,
I found your post via Edie. I'm from NB and make my beans and brown bread every Saturday. I love to hear the old traditions are being held by others too!
Deb
This bread looks great, but I do have a question about the ingredients. I noticed you mentioned using the whole wheat setting, but there is just "flour" listed.
I know most other regular recipes for maritime bread call for whole wheat flour, but am unsure if you use plain white flour or whole wheat in your version. Which type should I use? I'd love to try it out 🙂
I googled 'Maritime bread maker brown bread recipe', and landed on your blog. The recipe looked good, so I tried it on Monday. I've got an old breadmaker (upright pan, 1.5 lb loaf), and used the recipe as written, with the exception of using the white bread setting instead of whole wheat.
Your line about not being "discouraged if the bread doesn't turn out on the first try" was very good to keep in mind: when the bread finished baking, it had spilled over the pan down the sides, burned in spots, and generally looked like something out of a John Carpenter movie. And my kitchen smelled like burned molasses, which I didn't realize smells like stale cigars.
Anyway, the bottom third of the loaf was salvageable, and aside from the slight burnt molasses taste, was really good! Totally (aside from the slight burnt molasses taste) reminded me of my mom's brown bread.
So. Back to the drawing board. After having done this, I think your recipe is for a 2 lb. loaf. I'm going to tinker, and report back.
What finally worked for me was this (again, making a 1.5 lb loaf):
1 c water
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup molasses
2 Tb butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1 3/8 tsp yeast
Hi,
My bread maker has been a closet dust collector for over 20 years. I gave up on it as every single recipe I tried, came out as a compacted 1/2 loaf of bread.
I love Maritime brown bread and admit that every time I go ‘home’ to Nova Scotia, I buy and stow several loaves of those wonderful loaves of Maritime brown bread in my carry-on, to return to Calgary. I took my bread maker out of the closet recently to take one more kick at the cat using this recipe and WOW!!! .I have made it 3 times in a row now and still am shocked by how well it has turned out.!!!! The dough rose properly, and the taste was as perfect as I remember it! Thank you, so much!!!