Classic White Sandwich Bread

Before sliced bread became a cliché, there was simply bread. American home bakers made loaves like this one every week without fanfare or fuss. The dough came together in a bowl, rose in a warm corner of the kitchen, and emerged from the oven with a crust that crackled when you pressed it. That bread fed families. It made school lunches worth eating and Sunday suppers complete.

This recipe requires no special equipment. A bowl, your hands, and a standard loaf pan will produce bread superior to anything wrapped in plastic at the supermarket. The technique is forgiving. Bread dough wants to succeed. Your job is simply to give it time and warmth, then stay out of its way.

I've taught this loaf to nervous bakers who'd never touched yeast and watched their faces when they pulled that first golden loaf from the oven. There's a particular satisfaction in bread you've made yourself. It connects you to every generation of cooks who came before, kneading dough in kitchens across this country. Master this recipe and you'll never buy sandwich bread again.