While reading Joy for Beginners this week I was reminded of an experience I had a while ago that I realized I hadn’t shared with you. It concerns Amish Friendship Bread. Are you familiar with it?
(*See photo credit below.)
The bread is similar to sourdough, but only in that it has a starter that needs to be continuously maintained. It’s possible to make the starter from scratch, but the idea of Friendship Bread is that one person keeps the starter going and then she/he shares part of their starter with friends. And then those friends share some of their starter with more friends and so on. This is where things can get out of hand. Here’s how it went for me:
The batch of starter that I was given had instructions for “mushing” the bag of starter with my hands once a day. Then on the sixth day I added more water, flour and sugar. On Day 10 I took out a portion of the starter and made my bread.
After I took out my starter there was enough starter left over for four more batches of bread: one for me and three for friends. Can you already see the problem? After a while you run out of friends and acquaintances and people start avoiding you. Here’s what the character, Daria, in Joy for Beginners thought:
It was a chain letter camouflaged as food, Daria could see that. It even came with a peppy little note like all the chain letters in junior high. “Pass this on to three friends. If you do, your dearest wish will come true. If you don’t, you will . . . “
After a few weeks, Daria’s starter-goo spilled all over her kitchen counter and then the floor. It was a big mess. I finally baked all of my starter into a few loafs of bread and called it quits. Theoretically, it was a lovely idea but, when it came to making it happen, it didn’t work for me and, obviously not for the character in the book.
Amish Friendship Bread is very sweet. It was more like a cake than a bread. There are all sorts of varieties and variations you can do with the bread. Basically, it’s not a bad idea at all. If I haven’t chased you away from Amish Friendship Bread and you still want to try it, let me give you a couple of links for recipes and starter.
1. *Picture of the bread and a good story and recipe: Skip To My Lou
3. Armchair
If you’d like to read my review for Joy for Beginners, go HERE.
This post is linked to Weekend Cooking, a weekly feature at Beth Fish Reads. Click the button below and it will take you there.
I have had starter off and on over the years — in the end I start to resent the daily tending and I don’t like to bake sweets more than once a month or so.
For those who haven’t tried it: you must give it a try sometime.
I’ve never used a starter – sounds too much like another “obligation” and I’m not sure the end result is worth it. I like your use of the quote; that gave me a chuckle comparing the starter to a chain letter. Have a good weekend and happy Father’s Day to “Mr. Margot”
I don’t think I’d feel secure about food passed from kitchen to kitchen!
I always thought the sourdough bread was friendship bread – I didn’t realize they’re different. I remember the sourdough starter making the rounds, but not the friendship bread. Somehow, I was never given any.
Sounds too labour intensive for me. Plus, I don’t know many people who would want such a thing. I can relate to the “people avoiding me” problem,
. You were right to just bake the bread and be done with it.
It is wonderful but don’t think quite worth the work. A sourdough starter that you can make bread or waffles out of I like better. If you have never tried something using a starter, you must. It is part of the adventure.
I have NOT tried Amish Friendship Bread, but I want to. It sounds delicious, especially with it’s varieties. I just won a book, “Friendship Bread” by Darian Gee. I haven’t started reading it yet, but it is also about the bread. I put “Joy for Beginners” on my wish list. It sounds like it could be a wonderful book.
Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier and leaving a comment. I hope you have a fantastic weekend!
I’ve heard the bread is very nice. From what I understand you can use the starter to make a lot of different baked goods. I wouldn’t do it because I’m baking challenged and I am sure it would never even have a chance to “start!”
Around here, for some reason, it had a different name: Herman. But, it didn’t last long in my kitchen. I was in my early twenties and not at all equipped to handle feeding a living thing named Herman. I wouldn’t want it now because I don’t bake that many sweet things.
I keep sourdough starter now. I did get it from a friend and I like that aspect, and love giving it to others, but I can keep it under control so that I never need to give it away. Also, since it’s really flour, water, and magic, I don’t mind throwing some occasional excess in the compost pile.
Interesting-I have never tried using starter before.
I don’t think I would have patience for this; I like to bake bread, but the daily maintenance of a starter is not for me.
Mmm, I used to love making Amish Friendship Bread! The problem was always that I could never get rid of all my starter, so I’d just end up making loaf after loaf and freezing it. I guess I need more baking friends
My wonderful SIL always follows through and makes her bread…me on the other hand…never quite have finished one starter package she’s sent me!!
Oh yeah I have tried Amish Friendship Bread! My grandma gave me a starter. It was delicious and I would make it … and make it … and make it! I kept giving starters away but finally had to give up because I could only give away so many and force so much bread on everyone!
Such a fun post — and your comments are always so great (yours is one of the few blogs I visit where I take time to read all of them!). It was, like Joy says above, “Herman” when I was given this starter and recipe years ago. And I realized I still feel a little guilty after all this time for not passing that starter on. How funny!
I’ve participated in many chain-like thinks (goofy socks, books…) but I don’t think I have the time or patience for Amish bread although it sounds like a great idea.
yes, I’ve been in a few “rounds” of friendship bread. I found I quickly ran out of people to share it with (hoist upon?). I haven’t tried a sourdough starter, though …
Been there,baked that. It was fun for a while, if only it had more recipes. I could only bake that one loaf so many times. I did try some variations, though I waas inexperienced and not many turned out.