Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

Thursday, June 17, 2010

The Color Purple and Lilleput

Ever heard the expression, "Don't judge a book by it's cover"?

This Whole Wheat Mixed Berry Bread is one of the two breads for the 14th Bread Braid for HBinFive.  The bread was pretty...well, pretty purple, that isDo you think Oprah would like this bread?  Would anyone, I wondered?


The dough was really wet and hard to form, but it baked up with a nice crumb and was moist but not sweet.  I took a plate of this bread with it's accompanying honey butter to Thursday Social Knitting.  Did we like it?  Well, some did and some really didn't.  No one was thrilled with it.  Someone tactfully noted that it might make good toast.  One of us ate half a piece and politely asked if I minded if she threw the rest in the garbage. I believe in honesty and don't mind constructive criticism, even if disagree (which I didn't so much this time).  The purple color of the bread (you add the berries and their juices when you mix the dough) was quite off-putting to most.  This is not an enhanced or touched up photo, folks; that's the accurate color of this bread.  Really!  Wilton probably has a food color just like this called Neon Purple.


My family members were not huge fans of this bread either, although they are always polite and tactful
Example: I heard Rachel come in from work.  Next thing I hear:  "Whooaaaa...Gross!!!"  She'd found and tasted the bread. 
This experience reminds me of the summer I planted Purple Peruvian potatoes (which were very chic that year).  Seemed like a good idea; color on the plate and all, but that bright purple pile of mashed potatoes did NOT fly at my house.  Who serves purple mashed potatoes on any other day than April Fool's day?  Never mind that they tasted the same as white potatoes.  Some times you just shouldn't mess with a good thing.  Would I make this bread again?  Probably not.  Almost everyone agreed (well, actually everyone did) that a good quick bread with berries is highly preferable to this recipe.   Check this link (Michelle's Big Black Dog Blog) to see what the other members of the group thought about this bread. The braid is always posted on the 15th of each month.

Speaking of knitting group...I've been knitting this jacket, (pattern by Lene Alve) for awhile now. 


I finally got the flow of the short rows.  Don't ask how many times I had to FROG.  It's relaxing (well, now it is) and I am excited to finish it , although I've been sidetracked by a rug (among other things).  It's knit with sock yarn and on size 1 needles so check back in ...oh, 6 8 months or so.  If only there were 36 hours in a day and I didn't need sleep.

13 comments:

  1. I think the color is great! I wonder if it would be better as a white bread...and sweetened a little. I still wanna give it a try....french toast comes to mind.

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  2. Danielle, I thought about french toast, maybe with some sort of fruit syrup. This bread definitely needs more sweetener than what is called for in the recipe.

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  3. Oh Bonnie! I'm very proud of you for making the bread. Sweetening it up sounds like a great plan. The beet bread was such a shocking color, but so nice with savory foods . . . so happy for your report before I considered making mine.

    The jacket is darling. I do wish there were 36 hours in a day as well, you seem to produce as if there were :)

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  4. I think your bread sounds wonderful and I LOVE the color. I LOVE purple potatoes and wish that we could buy them in the stores on a regular basis...they are moist and yummy and make a great 4th of July potato salad. My kids, especially my son, ALWAYS tell me exactly what they think about my cooking! LOL!

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  5. LOL - this post cracked me up. What a shame to waste good berries on a bread nobody liked. Now you've got me thinking about berry quick breads. You are such a talented knitter. I'm very impressed.

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  6. I don't know about the taste, but I think the color of this bread is awesome!
    The sweater looks great...I feel like such a slacker! :)

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  7. A seniors group I belong to makes what we call "trauma teddies" and knee rugs and premie bonnets for our local hospital. I try to make one rug a year and just finished mine.

    I just love all your crafts and pictures, might be time I started back into it again.

    Now as for the purple bread I am a Red Hat Queen and I could just see red and purple berries in different breads at a morning tea.

    I made mine with raspberries. They smell lovely both cooking and eating. I toasted some for breakfast this morning. Most of the recipes in the HBin5 are low or no fat and very light on sweetening.

    I found with this bread the tucked away optional honey butter was just so nice on it and gave it the oomph it needed.

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  8. I actually really like the purple color! And I like purple potatoes, so... I didn't make this bread, but I did make the banana and I think people go in expecting it to be as sweet as a quick bread, but yeasted breads are a whole different profile!! I like the less-sweet as a change from the typical quick breads. I think yours turned out beautifully! =)

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  9. This is so pretty (the jacket, I mean). I'll comment on the purple bread once I get to that assignment!

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  10. I personally love the color purple in the bread! LOL. Great job. I made mine with canned tart cherries and automatically doubled the honey...I think the recipe needs extra honey in your case as well. I appreciate you putting in all the honest comments you received!

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  11. I didn't make this bread, but the banana one, but saw this wasn't very popular with those who did.

    I tend to get rather negative reactions with just any "healthy" bread so.........I guess purple was a bit too much. :)

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  12. Wow, you weren't kidding when you said it was purple! I bet it had to do with the berries.

    Blindfolded, I bet people would love it. I guess we do eat with our eyes, too.

    Still, I think it is beautiful. If you have any left, you might be able to mask the color in a bread pudding?

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  13. I kind of like the purple color too. But, it wasn't my favorite bread. Did taste ok toasted with PB, or honey. The photo is great.

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