Since mid March I have been making bread weekly. I even purchased a new KitchenAid mixer for the new spiral dough hook. I am proud of the fact that I have used it so regularly and that we have been enjoying luscious homemade bread. Somehow it justifies in my mind the unneeded expense.

The one thing I didn’t realize was how dependent I was becoming on good bread. Last week we were deprived. First I got sick with a summer cold and then I was out of town on a business trip. We had to resort to buying our bread.

We went with an old stand-by at Trader Joe’s, the Organic Whole Wheat, which used to do quite nicely. Now, it seemed bland and stale. It was fine for toast, but naked on a sandwich it tasted like sandpaper.

I also missed the sensual sensation of kneading the last bit by hand. There is nothing quite like the feel of dough squishing up through your fingers.

So be warned if you head down the road of making your own bread. You may never be able to go back.