I had tried making bread several times with results that were better suited for construction or door stops than for eating. Typically this effort was the result of frustration after visiting the grocery store. My preferred bread not being restocked and I could not find another kind that I liked.
In the fall 2010 I reached that state again, but this time decided to try it using a bread machine. While the machines make funny shaped loaves, but had positive reviews for the quality of the bread. I purchased one of the least expensive models and a couple of cookbooks on making bread with a bread machine. And I was very surprised that after a little experimenting, it actually worked as advertised!
Since then we have been enjoying a lot of home made bread and almost no store bought. It has been mostly “hearty” multi-grain bread with lots of healthy extras that is delicious toasted with preserves in the morning. But it has been a bit too heavy for sandwich use. Finally I got up the nerve to try a sandwich bread. Much to my amazement it turned out perfectly. The pictured light whole wheat loaf had a softer texture and sliced nicely for sandwiches. Hopefully the experiment will be repeatable. Maybe one of these days I will try making my own hamburgers and hotdog rolls.