Breadmakers

Just a quick word about my bread makers.

This is my poor old Panasonic SD 253. It was the best machine on the market when I bought it about 9 years ago. I chose it because it could make gluten free bread and, after chatting to friends and colleagues and reasearch on the Internet, gluten intolerance seemed to be a possible explanation for my digestive troubles. The hospital still haven't provided me with a definitive diagnosis now, but that's another story. I was working full time in a very demanding job and just couldn't find the time to make it by hand. As my health failed, it became more and more useful.

It earned it's initial purchase price over and over again and when the non-stick lining to the pan wore out, I continued to make dough in it. DH kept encouraging me to get a replacement pan but I could have bought several cheap machines for the price so kept putting it off. Then we were at one of the first car boots we had attended in recent times and DH pointed me in the direction of a stall with one for sale. It was a simpler model, SD206, with a dented casing and I had already overheard the price the stall holders wanted for it. DH had a good look over it with a view to just buying it for the pan but I thought it was different to ours. So we walked away. On the way home we agreed to measure ours and having got the dimensions, returned to the car boot where DH talked the stallholder down in price. The pan fitted like a glove and I could still make dough in the simpler model. Then he bought me another one, the manufacturer unknown, adapted the pan to fit the Panasonics and I had two working bread makers. Sadly, the SD 253 died and went to the place were all small appliances go to die, the garage. DH being just brilliant adapted the pan back again so I'm back to two bread makers. I know some people find it hard to get along with one bread maker never mind two but I can honestly say that if all three of mine were running, I would use them. However, if my first bread maker had been the last one we bought (silver and black in the photo) I too would have given up. It's most irritating features are it's inability to hold a program in a power cut (we get alot here) and the lack of dough only programs. It still doesn't make as nice a loaf either but we tolerate that for convenience. I can also honestly say that there is rarely a day when they aren't used, we even take one in the caravan. I know alot of people swear by handmade bread, but if life is throwing you challenges and you have a bread maker, have a go, they really can be a fantastic aid in the kitchen.

Please excuse the mess....