Men Baking Bread

[foodnfoto]

I recently had a lively, interesting and admittedly, somewhat inebriated discussion with a friend of mine about why bread baking appeals to men, both professionally and as a hobby. He has just discovered the craft and is now firmly intrenched in it.
I asked him what it was about bread that appealed to him so much and he commented, " I guess it's because I can't give birth. It's the closest thing to having a baby that a man can experience. You know, how it starts with a mixture of a few things, and then you have to feed it and keep it warm; then knead it and shape it gently."
My husband, of course, was rolling on the floor laughing, but it seemed to make sense to me. I've worked in many a professional bakery and have met quite a few men who have taken on the mysteries of yeast and bread as a full-time challange. Some even wax romantically poetic about the stuff in a very annoying way.
What do you Chef Talkers think? Most especially you Kyle?

[momoreg]

Funny concept, especially when you think about eating the products of your labor.

I'm curious to hear what the men here have to say about this.

[marmalady]

I personally think they're all reincarnated women from another time!

Something about the 'alchemy' that occurs with breadmaking? Although your friend's explanation was rather touching!

[kokopuffs]

Marmalady:

You are quite close to the truth. All fetuses begin as females. Thanks to the y chromosome, certain organs transform and descend to form the male body.

I've always considered myself as a lesbian locked inside of a male body! I wonder how long it'll be 'till I get a ruler slapped across my knuckles for that remark.

[KyleW]

I'm not sure my answer will be either poetic or romantic. It does have a few different parts.

What appeals to me, on the metaphysical side, is that I can start with flour, water and salt. That it is possible to realign, coax and encourage these most basic ingredients and produce a loaf of bread is quite remarkable to me.

On a more elemental plane, my interest in bread was born out of a love of eating great bread. M.A.G. laughs when we go out to dinner. The first thing I do is have at the bread basket pulling, prodding, smelling, tasting. I just love the stuff.

I suppose it also provides an artistic outlet. Since I can't draw stick figures.

[Jock]

I consider myself to be a cook rather than a baker. However, bread making is something special. I don't know what it is. Maybe there is some physiological reaction to the smell of yeast that is triggered more in men than in women? I don't know. But creating something as magical as a loaf of bread from such simple ingredients is extreemly satisfying. 'Course, it's only science but understanding that only makes the whole process the more fascinating.

Jock