Free Bread Machines For Dummies by Glenna Vance, Tom Lacalamita Page B

many of the people who buy
Bread Machines For Dummies

are trying to keep their sodium intake in check, the recipes in this book use modest amounts of salt. If you do use a salt substitute, read the ingredients of the product. It must contain some sodium. Potassium chloride alone will not control yeast activity. If you must cut out all sodium in your diet, you will need to do some experimenting, reducing the sugar as well as the salt, so that the yeast is not overstimulated. The shorter yeast-bread cycles work well when you have to completely eliminate salt.
    Herbs and Spices
    What makes an herb different from a spice? Herbs are generally leaves and can be grown on one’s own windowsill. Spices can be flower buds, such as cloves; fruits, such as pepper, nutmeg and vanilla; seeds, such as anise, caraway, cardamom, coriander and mustard; or rhizomes that spread underground, such as ginger and turmeric. And then there’s saffron, in a class of its own, derived from the stigmas of a crocus plant. Some plants like celery and coriander provide both herbs from the leaves and spices from the seeds. Spices come from all over the world — usually a long way from our kitchen windowsill.
    The wonderful part is that today we can find them at our local markets. Buy small amount of spices at a time as their flavor diminishes with age. If possible buy whole spices and grind or crush your own as needed. Always store spices in containers that protect them from air and light. Here are descriptions of some of the spices we love to use in our breads.

    If you want to add more of an herb or a spice to your bread than the amount listed in the recipe, you can (except for cinnamon and garlic). Please check the sections on each to find out why this is so.

    The Spice House
    In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we have wonderful sources for fresh spices. Ruth and William Penzey, Sr. opened The Spice House in 1957. Today their children have carried on the family business and Milwaukeans now shop at two locations: the original Spice House on Third Street in Milwaukee and Penzeys Spices in Brookfield. Both The Spice House and Penzeys Spices have mail order catalogs and are on the Internet, www.thespicehouse.com or www.penzeys.com .
    Allspice
    Allspice is not a combination of all spices. It actually comes from the bayberry tree in the Caribbean, mostly in Jamaica. The small, round berries vary in size and are dark gray-brown with a rough skin. They have a very delicate, bittersweet flavor that tastes like a mixture of cloves, cinnamon, and a hint of nutmeg. And that explains the name!
    Anise
    Anise, also called aniseed, is a member of the hemlock family and is grown primarily in the Mediterranean region. The very small anise seed has a surprisingly explosive taste that combines sweetness and a spicy, licorice-like flavor. It has been known as an aid in digestion, a stimulant for a sluggish system, and a cure for flatulence. Don’t be concerned, as the small amounts we use to flavor rye breads will not affect the digestive system. To release the full flavor in your bread, crush the seeds before using.
    Basil
    The warm, pungent aroma and flavor of basil make it one of the best loved of all culinary herbs. You can grow it in your garden, on your windowsill, or buy it fresh in the supermarket. Fresh basil is one of our favorite herbs for pizza and flatbread toppings. We use dried basil in bread doughs.
    Caraway
    Caraway has grown wild in Europe and Asia since the Stone Age. Today, Holland is the main exporter. The seeds are small, thin, brown, and sweetly spiced, but also have a sharp taste, which livens up rye bread. It is commonly added to German and Austrian foods. Small amounts of Caraway will foster yeast activity. For this purpose use 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons per 3 cups of flour.
    Crushed caraway is in the Beer Rye in Chapter 12 and the Light Rye in Chapter 10.
    Cardamom
    Cardamom is the most expensive spice after saffron and vanilla, with a strong,