Eating fresh, hot bread with butter is one of life's greatest pleasures. House smells heavenly.

For over 30 years, I have made whole-grain bread. Love the process of feeding the dough with yeast, kneading, rising, pressing out gas bubbles, shaping loaves and baking.

Kneading is rhythmic and meditative. I get a small workout, too. Since the counters are too high for me, I do toe raises 500 times while kneading.

Problems arose

Buttermilk tenderizes the dough, making it gloppy to handle. Dough kept sticking to my hands and the counter. Realized the dough was too wet. Three times, I flattened the dough and sprinkled on extra whole wheat flour. Caution: add too much flour and the bread will be dry.

Since the buttermilk was frozen, I heated it on the stove with honey mixed in. Thought I blew it by heating the liquids to 80 degrees. If the dough is too warm, it rises fast in the bowl, but not in the oven.

With buttermilk bread, don't over-knead or the dough will tear in the final rise.

To my delight, the bread is tender and moist with a chewy crust. It rose beautifully.

NOTE: Today I used 75% whole wheat flour. After the loaves cool, I cut them in half and freeze. I take out a half-loaf at a time.