Who Bakes Bread, Anyway?

I do, sometimes. And some other people I know. And many, many people that I don't know - of that I'm sure, somehow.
And why bake bread when there is a great choice in supermarkets and bakeries? Well, I don't know some other people's reasons, but I do know mine - and I have to admit they are not rational at all. It is cheaper and easier to buy bread at a supermarket or at a bakery, and some sorts of bread that you can buy are quite excellent. The thing is, you can buy nice stuff, but by buying it you will not get your kitchen full of this wonderful aroma of freshly-baked bread - and I love that smell. I also like to watch bread in the oven and then taste it when it's still quite hot. And I simply think there is something special about baking bread in the times when everybody is in a hurry and nobody has time - baking bread is making me slow down...

Basic Dinner Rolls
(16 rolls)

4 to 4.3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 packages active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 egg (at room temperature)
*1 egg beaten with a little bit of milk, poppy seed, sesame seed - optional

Combine 1.1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a mixing bowl.
Heat milk, water and butter until very warm. Add liquid and egg to flour mixture; beat until smooth (about 3 to 4 minutes).
Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft, sticky dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface, continue to work in flour until dough can be kneaded. Knead until smooth and elastic, but still soft (about 5 to 7 minutes).
Cover dough with a bowl or a pan, let it rest about 20 minutes.
Shape rolls as desired. Place them on a greased baking sheet, cover and let rise until double in bulk (about 15-20 minutes).
Now you can brush the rolls with the egg-milk mixture and sprinkle them with poppy or sesame seed.
Place the sheet in the oven and bake at 220ºC about 12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.