Magic Number

“The past and the present and the future, the faith and hope and charity, the heart and the brain and the body…”

Schoolhouse Rock, Three is a Magic Number

The importance of three was brought to light for many of my generation through the music of Schoolhouse Rock. A table needs three legs to stand, triangles have three corners, three sides and three angles, and when you add a baby to an expectant couple, it makes three. I know that Junior made our family magic when we became three.

Along with all of the ancient trinities, there lies flour and water and salt. When combined, these three insignificant ingredients undergo an alchemy like no other. Yeast, bacteria, enzymes, gluten strands, flavonoids, crust, crumb, texture, taste and comfort are all by products of this Magical Three. Each time I remove loaves from the oven, each time I slice into a just-cooled loaf, each time I note the rise and fall of the starter, I’m amazed. The farmers growing beautiful, flavorful grain; the millers turning that grain into flour like no other; the bakers using that flour to create products with flavor beyond yeast or add-ins are another trinity. Bread is a symbol of life, life stemming from an ancient trinity. Three is a magic number.