Myojo’s Bread Recipe

(Originally published in the Great Tree Zen Women’s Temple Spring-Summer 2012 Newsletter. A sweet memory of a dear friend on the path.)

I had the pleasure of spending a day with sangha member and Great Tree Temple officer Myojo Sara Wexler a few weeks ago. I’d asked her for her bread recipe, and instead of just handing me a list of ingredients, she invited me to her home so that she could show me exactly how it’s done.

Here’s what I learned:

Ingredients: 1 cup of honey 4 cups of hot water 3 packets of active dry yeast 6 or more cups of flour (or as much as is needed - see below)

Step 1 :

Arrive at a friend’s house, have a seat at her table and a cup of tea or coffee, and a pleasant chat. Once you’ve briefed each other on the current status of your life, family, and spiritual practice, get to work. Mix the honey, hot water (tap water is okay), and yeast, and allow to sit until bubbles form. Add 3-4 cups of flour— any kind will do—until if forms a loose, pancake-like batter. Cover and let rise for at least one hour, during which you and your companion may have a lunch at the Mexican restaurant down the street and afterwards cruise the local craft gallery.

Step 2:

By the time you return from your outing, the mixture will have doubled in volume. Mix in oil (optional) and/or other extras such as sunflower seeds, nuts, dried fruit, herbs, or whatever you like. Add additional flour until the mixture is too stiff to stir, then empty the bowl onto the kneading surface (Myojo uses a beautiful slab of black marble). Knead the dough, adding as much flour as necessary until it is no longer sticky. Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, rolling it around until the surface of the ball is coated with the oil. Cover with a clean, damp dish towel and allow to rise for at least two hours. This is just enough time for you and your companion to visit a local festival, strolling leisurely among the vendors, enjoying the atmosphere and a little jazz under the entertainment tent.

Step 3 :

When you get back from the festival separate the dough into three parts and shape them into oiled loaf pans. Cover again and allow to rise another two hours. This gives your friend just enough time for a quick nap while you catch a couple of Oprah reruns in her livingroom. Once the loaves have risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake loaves for 30 minutes. The loaves will shrink from the sides of the pan indicating they are done. Allow the loaves to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing, during which you and your friend can take the dog for a short walk. According to Myojo, the bread will turn out differently every time, like jazz, like our life. Enjoy!

To Myojo with love and deep gratitude for our practice together.