Challah or Swiss Sunday Bread...

Recipe...

1/4 cup warm water (not hot)
2 packages Active Dry Yeast

1 1/2 cups Luke warm milk (I use powdered milk)
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter
5 1/2 to 6 cups Flour (I use unbleached presifted bread flour)

Egg Yolk Glaze - Mix 1 egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of water


Method...

Dissolve yeast in warm water with a Teaspoon of sugar in a bowl or small liquid measuring cup.
(Do not over mix yeast)

In a mixing bowl combine Warm Milk, Sugar, Salt, Eggs, and Butter. Mix well and when Yeast is
ready, add to the bowl. Then start adding flour until it starts to clean the bowl. Check consistency after 5 cups of flour. Add more flour, half cup at a time, until dough is not sticky. (Too dry and it is hard to roll out for braiding)

Put dough in greased bowl and cover with either plastic wrap or a linen dish cloth and let rise until dough doubles in size. After dough has doubled, punch down and divide into 3 balls. Take one of the balls, divide it in half and roll out into long strands for braiding. (I do this right on the counter top instead of a cutting board. It's easier if you have the room) *See pictures below for braiding instructions.

Place braided loaves on a greased baking sheet and cover again and let double. Then brush the loaves with Egg Yolk Glaze and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes and remove when golden brown. (depends on your location, check bread at 15 minutes and go from there) Then brush with butter.

The Mystery Driver?

So now that St. Patty's day has come and gone, the big question still remains...Who was the mystery driver of Bill Bassette's tractor?

The photos I've acquired don't give many clues, but he does have a striking resemblance to original guest driver, David (the cabana boy) Rachlis, who is currently consuming fruity drinks and sunning his buns in Florida.

When asked about the mystery driver, Bill said he was planning on driving the tractor that day himself, and was upset that he would not be able to assume his role as the "ass end" of the parade if he did. According to Bill, when the mystery man became aware of his dilemma, he immediately volunteered to drive the tractor for Bill and to humbly do his best to fill the shoes of the original guest driver.





The latest buzz around the land of Zion is...will the mystery man continue to take the place of the Original guest driver and ride Bill's tractor in the 4th of July parade? Or will the Original guest driver make a surprise visit, to reclaim his rightful throne?

It appears, for now, that the identity of the driver will remain a mystery. But my investigation into this matter will not stop, and I will not rest until we know who this man is.