You do WHAT??

So I was at work this morning, and a regular customer that I see a few times a week came in between one of our typical morning rushes. I was goofing around and asked him rhetorically if he wanted his 'usual' latte with one of every artificial sugar packets. I rattled them off, raw sugar, cane sugar, equal, sweet and low, splenda, and honey. He nodded, not really paying too much attention and then he stopped and looked at me.
Wait, that actually sounds pretty good, he says, with his almost serious face on the verge of cracking into a smile.
Especially the honey part, I responded, as I put only one splenda into his skinny caramel latte, the way he actually did take it.
He didn't seem to agree with me that honey was a very good idea, and I told him how much I love honey and how I like to use to substitute for sugar when I make bread.
At this he was surprised that I made bread.
Of course, I ended up promising to bring in a loaf for him to try.. Shame shame, Cheryl, now you actually have to make bread again.

Which actually makes me think..

Why is everyone so shocked when others, or myself, make their own bread? It's truly very easy to do. It's just time consuming. I've only messed up bread once by leaving it to rise too long(it got a yeasty flavor and reminded me of beer).
The only thing I can think of that turns people off from bread is the fact that it's time consuming. I don't think people give it enough credit. Making my own bread has always been exciting, no matter how long it took me to do. I mean, really, all you do is mix milk, water, and flour together with a bit of sugar and yeast. If you left it to rise and went to the grocery store, and when you came back you punched it down, it wouldn't really be a problem, would it?

I guess I'm just crazy.
But then again, I had to be taught how to activate yeast and what-not. I guess a lot of people, particularly in my own generation, don't really know how to use yeast, or even what it likes.

For future reference, yeast likes luke warm water and a touch of sugar. If you put it in too hot of water, the yeast dies, and if it's too cold, the yeast takes forever to grow. Quick test of whether or not it's too hot- if you can put your finger in the liquid for 3 seconds without burning yourself, it's perfect! Let it sit in there until the yeast gets foam on the top of the milk/water. If it's taking longer than you would like, add a pinch or two of sugar to the water/milk/fluid. If the recipe calls for sugar, put some of that measurement toward the yeast. EG- a teaspoon or so.
If it never foams, your yeast is either killed or dead already. If it's too old, it probably died long before you opened the packet.
Patience is key.

So, anyway... I challenge you to make some bread. Cuz, seriously, it's not that hard. I pinky promise!

-Cheryl