Bread is one of humankind's oldest creations. And it's so simple to make! You can make bread with literally just flour and water, and add some salt or sugar to taste. Sometimes you can add fun add-ins like nuts, fruit, oats, fats, different grains, spices, and so on. Bread is a staple in basically every culture in some form: leaved, flat-breads, yeasted doughs or another variation. Breads come in all shapes and sizes, baked with different flavors and traditions. It would be impossible to list all, but here are a few of my favorites that I love to enjoy during each season.
January: Dark Rye
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Hearty and robust, rye bread makes me imagine mornings in Scandinavia with eggs (or tofu) on toast, hot coffee, and starting out of the window gazing at caribou frolicking in the snow. While I'm sadly not transported to this magical place every time I eat a slice, the flavor of this dense bread warms the soul. If you want to try to make it yourself, check out this dark rye bread recipe.
February: French Baguette
It could be because of Valentine's Day and love in the air, but there's something wonderful about eating a dinner of warm French bread with (vegan) herbed cheese, bruschetta, and a side of grapes with a glass of sparkling juice or wine after a day in the woods tromping through snow or skiing down a mountain.
March: Irish Soda Bread
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Whether you're Irish or not, when St. Patrick's Day rolls around it's time to make some soda bread! This quick-bread is ridiculously easy and delicious. It requires zero rise time unlike a lot of other bread recipes, so it turns out a little dense but is nice and buttery to go with a large Irish-style dinner.
April: Braided Challah
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Often present at Jewish services, challah is a sweetened egg bread similar to a brioche that is often plaited into beautiful braided loaves. Not just for holidays, make this light and fluffy bread for a lovely addition to your kitchen in April as spring starts to appear!
May: Bagels
May marks the end, or near end, of the school season for many students and in a pinch a bagel for breakfast can turn out to be the perfect fuel for a busy day. While ambitious to make, if you need to take a study break and stress bake, try this bagel recipe from BBC Food.
June: Sourdough
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Sourdough, oh sourdough...many have dived deep into the world of sourdough over quarantine as the key to a good sourdough starter and bread is time. June is the beginning of summer where things slow down a bit and you can spend more time at home and in the kitchen developing fun new creations. Try out any of King Arthur Flour's sourdough recipes once your homemade starter is ready!
July: Ciabatta
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Ciabatta is an fluffy, salty Italian bread perfect for all of the picnics you'll want to have in July. With a crunchy exterior and airy inside, this bread is great for sandwiches or just by itself. Another great Italian bread is focaccia, which is a bit thicker and richer as you add lots of olive oil and salt to the dough during the baking process.
August: Seeded Boule
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As fall starts to arrive, so does soup season and squash season and all the other wonderful things the harvest season brings. Make this multigrain sourdough boule to pair with your next hot meal, or try any hearty, seeded multigrain bread to get into the fall spirit!
September: Pita Bread
Pita bread is a great addition to many dishes, from curries to acting as the base for a wrap or the side for whatever dip you love. It's easily portable, making it perfect for back-to-school lunches.
October: Pumpkin Bread
It's pumpkin season! To celebrate, use that leftover squash from the garden to make this yummy vegan gluten free zucchini bread (would recommend adding chocolate chips) or if you have pumpkins or pumpkin pie mix on hand try out this vegan gluten free pumpkin bread topped with nuts.
November: Cornbread
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A great addition for any thanksgiving table, this traditional cornbread recipe has all the buttery goodness from your childhood. If you want more bite-sized pieces, bake in muffin tins for cornbread muffins!
December: Chocolate Babka
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For the holidays, a sweetbread is almost a necessity. Wether for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack; chocolate babka are beautiful braided loaves that are sure to be a showstopper at whatever holiday party you attend. Serve warm with a cup of tea or milk, and enjoy!