It’s the second week of our dinner with Pops Montfort on the Isle of Grace, and he’s just about to take the bread out of the oven. Although Pops is a cranky ex-Marine who lives by himself in a trailer on the isolated sea island, he loves his two sons and his daughter-in-law. And he’s doing everything he can to make this a memorable night for his family.
Pops Montfort ~ “The Tomato and Okra Soup was a hit (as I knew it would be) but there’s still so much daylight out that no one was ready for the next course. So my daughter-in-law Juliet went into the back fields to see if she could find any lingering blackberries while my two sons, Rafe and Philip, pulled out their old chess board.
Since the rest of the meal is ready to go, and now it sounds like they all want to go swimming in the creek before dinner, I decided to make Rafe’s favorite Whole Wheat Molasses Bread. I’ve no doubt that it’s been at least eight years since he’s tasted his momma’s bread recipe and I’m hoping it’ll remind him that coming home (in EVERY DEEP DESIRE) wasn’t just the hardest choice he’s had to make in his life, but the best as well.
Juliet breezes in with a basket of warm berries although I suspect she’s eaten half of them on the way back to the trailer. She kisses me on the cheek and hurries into the bedroom to change into her bathing suit. I also hear Philip and Rafe arguing about who won chess the last time they played, and I slip the bread into the oven. Then I smile. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was this happy. The hell we went through the past eight years, and then again in EVERY DEEP DESIRE was so worth it. My family has reunited and in a few hours we’re going to break bread together. Our family’s story has been a blessing indeed.
There is one dark shadow in all of this. ONE DARK WISH, the second book in the series about Rafe’s buddy Nate Walker, is coming out in a few weeks (September 24, 2019). And knowing how these stories go, it will be a wild ride of action and suspense and love. I just hope we all survive.”
Whole Wheat Molasses Bread
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups white flour
- 2 packages dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons caraway seeds
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup dark molasses
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons shortening
- 1 Tablespoon salt
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, 1 cup of the white flour, the yeast, and caraway seed.
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In a a small saucepan, heat the water, molasses, brown sugar, shortening, and salt. Stir and heat until just barely warm (about 115°-120°F). Keep stirring until the shortening is melted.
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Slowly stir the melted water/molasses/shortening mixture into the flour. Using an electric mixer, beat the dough at low speed for 1 minute, constantly scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat another 3 minutes on high speed.
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With a heavy spoon, stir in the enough of the remaining white flour to make a stiff dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until it's smooth, about 8 minutes. Turn the dough into a large ball and place in a large greased bowl. Turn the dough ball a few times to make sure it's covered with the grease (butter). Then cover and let the dough rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
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Divide the dough into two balls. Place on a greased baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Then shape each ball into a slightly flattened balls, about 6-7" round. Place them back on the greased baking sheet. Cover with the damp towel and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until almost double in size.
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While dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375℉. Once the loaves have risen, bake them for 30-35 minutes, or until they are golden brown. If you like a chewy crust, brush the tops of the breast with wam water at least 3-4 times during the last 15 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and cool completely on a baking rack.
Note: 1 slice = 1 serving.
