But...with a bread maker, does the bread have a nice crunchy crust? I just can't see that happening...

Thanks Azz! I'll give it a go when I've got a week free to do it

I don't have a bread maker but make my own bread quickly and easily with a dough hook on the Kenwod Chef
I make a lot of bread rolls and cheesy bread sticks , I don't think you can make them in a bread maker.







I also like to use fresh yeast and have a great supplier on the Internet. It comes in a little coldbag and I freeze it.
I don't think you can use fresh yeast in a breadmaker , it gives a lovely taste.

Now I'm REALLY starving! Not to mention IMPRESSED if they are 'all your own work'!

I love cheesy rolls and bread sticks!

Yes they are all my own work I make them for the grandchildren , they particularly like the breadsticks made with little pieces of sun dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese or olives and served with home made soup

Well I ordered my bread maker last night.. and Florence you can set the setting to French bread to give an extra crusty crust.

And Meg WOW those look amazing, and you are right the bread maker can't do all that, but in the same breath neither can I it will just make my dough for me then I could take it out and bake it into rolls, or plaits should I chose to do that.

You can use Fresh yeast in a bread maker, you just need to make adjustments to recipe's etc.. I won't be using fresh yeast as I don't use it anyway.

Thanks for the piccies - you can come and stay ANY time

I'd be fat as a pig if I lived in the same house with someone who cooked stuff like that in the photos!

Bad enough with my neighbours keep bringing me down delicious Romanian dishes - but I'm starting to think there is a lot of saturated fats involved (probly why they taste so nice!)

Do my waistline good to get away from it.

They look lovely Meg

I made a Sourdough loaf today... and have eaten half of it already (with home made liver pate and clarified butter)

Sourdough? Is that like the stuff my Irish pal used to call Salt Bread or maybe just Sourbread?

I do remember it. I'm starving now. Must go out for food. Think Zorba's Bakery will be where I head for!

I got my breadmaker on Wednesday so yesterday I popped all the ingredients in and away it went... 4 hours later, voila - it was like magic! and YUMMY!!

I am very happy, I shall be doing some "dough" only over the weekend and making up some rolls etc... and I am going to do a loaf of cheesy chilli bread too!! just for Mr M!

Yum sounds lovely Debbie