Coffee and hot bread
My first home-baked bread. (All photos by Arkay T.)
What kept me silent on this blog for some time? It’s coz I’m into another hobby! Not about coffee, but something too closely related to it.
I’m now baking my own bread!
Well, I’m not actually into baking, but I found the baking equivalent of, um, instant coffee — automatic bread maker.
I know I know … you non-rice eating folks knew about this thing for the longest time. But for us Pinoys, this is something as hi-tech and as rare as a dishwasher! (You Americans and Europeans, I bet you don’t have rice cookers at home, right?)
In fact, I heard of the bread machine only about a year ago. I was doing a shoot for a book project of an NGO, the Volunteer Service Organization (VSO) here in the Lanao provinces in Mindanao. I was with the writer, Nicole, a Dutch girl. [From being a journalist to development worker, she’s now into Thai massage!] While having bread in some remote area somewhere one early morning, Nicole mentioned about missing her bread maker back home, of this automated machine that will let her make bread at home without much work, program it so that she’d have hot, freshly baked bread upon waking up in the morning.
Smells good!
I was so amazed that I said, “There’s a machine like that? I’d buy one right away!”
For me, and I’m sure for most folks, too, bread is best eaten while still hot. (Like coffee should be drunk while still hot, right?) But that’s not possible for most of us Pinoys, coz the nearest bakery is usually a few kilometers away. (Lucky are those who live near bakeries!) Who would drive to the bakery early in the morning? Even if you do, by the time you get home, the bread isn’t hot anymore. And once you’re home, you’d still spend time to make coffee. So we do the next best thing — toaster.
The moment I got home after hearing about Nicole’s magical machine, I googled the thing. Went to Ebay and Amazon, too. And there, bread machines of various models and brands! Usually in the $70 to $200 range. Not bad for a machine that, coupled with my coffee, would do great wonders to my and my family’s mornings.
Problem is, most of these operate at 110 volts. Difficult to find a model that runs 220 volts. Yet another problem — they’re huge, and heavy! Shipping would really be expensive.
So I tried looking for bread machines in all the department stores and appliance centers here in the Philippines, in Manila and everywhere else. I couldn’t find one. The sales ladies usually show me where the toasters and ovens are. When I explain further, I get that puzzled look. They don’t even know that such a thing has been invented. Talk about this machine to most Pinoys, and you’d get the same comment.
I kept looking, and kept looking. Nada. I gave up.
Then a few weeks ago, a fellow home coffee roaster and fellow photojournalist, Buck P., who once accompanied me in the department stores in Manila looking for the bread machine, texted about this bread maker being auctioned at ebay.ph. It’s not brand new, but I think it’s a surplus item from one of those First World countries, and not used yet. It’s cheap at 1,600 pesos (around US$33), and 220 volts!
Wow! I contacted the vendor right away. They shipped it to me by sea, so I paid only 230 pesos for it to be sent from Manila to my home here in Iligan. Took a few days, but it got here safe.
The Lumina XBM1089
It’s the Lumina XBM1089. And like everything else, it’s made in China. (As they say, “God made man; everything else by China.”)
So I’ve been baking my own bread since then. My son Arkay knows how to use it, too, coz it’s really sooo simple to use. Just place the ingredients in the bread pan, and hit the Start button. Three-and-a-half hours later, or much later if you programmed it to start baking at dawn so the bread is ready when you wake up, voila! Hot bread to go with the best coffee in the world!
The sales girls at Kristine’s Bakeshop must be wondering why I haven’t gone back there these past several days.
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39 Responses to “Coffee and hot bread”
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You lucky lucky guy! I would love to have that machine too. But couldn’t justify it since I live so close to 1950′s Pan de Amerikano bakeshop. Nice to have hot bread in the morning, ‘no?
Especially if it goes with good coffee.
‘ngay – in case you are ever looking for another bread machine, we bought one at SM Appliance Center a couple years ago. Unfortunately, the stirring blade on ours broke, so we are now without fresh made bread! I guess we’ll have to get a replacement part or buy a new machine. Your bread looks delicious!
wow, they have that at SM? they’re clueless when i asked for one in CDO, and even in MegaMall. if you need one, check out ebay.ph.
Just took a look, but right now there are none. I think I’ll keep watching!
there’s a lumina & a sensio brand at ebay.ph now.
Bread baking in the oven is the best aroma in the world, right up there with brewing coffee. I’ve been baking bread since culinary school but I do everything by hand. Using a bread machine is foreign to me. Enjoy your homebaked bread!
Hey, Lori, I’ll get there! With zero cooking / baking knowledge from this end, baking with a bread machine is quite a feat!
I just bought that same bread machine. Do you happen to have a manual or other recipes for the lumina bread maker. The one I bought didn’t include an instruction manual. Thanks for your help.
marie, you got mail!
wow! looks yummy! kabibili ko lang ng lumina bread maker, pero second hand and walang manual. baka pwedeng makahingi ng copy ng manual.
thanks a bunch.
white bread
2.5lbs loaf
1 cup water
1 tablespoon margarine or butter or oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon dry milk
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour (plain flour can be substituted)
2 1/2 teaspoon quick active yeast
direction:
place all mentioned into bread pan in order, except yeast
then form a small well in flour, pour yeast in.
finally set the breadmaker to “whole wheat” (which is #5 on ur menu) and press start.
this applies on lumina xbm1089.
there are 5 more recipes but im too sleepy to type it for u yuan, as u can see i sent an incomplete recipe. next time na lang or post ur e mail.
This bread machine is driving my friends crazy — either after tasting my bread at home, or after telling them about this machine, that a machine like this exists. Same reaction as when I first heard this from Nicole. 2 friends already bought the Lumina, a sister just placed her order, too.
Hi! I bought a Lumina XBM 1089 for my mother (Mother’s Day gift) but there was no instruction manual. would you have a copy of it?
thanks!
Hi got lumina bread maker also, same thing no instruction manual. Do you have a copy that you can share
Hi, I am also in need of the recipes for the Lumina – if you have any to share, it would be great. Thanks
Bob, i looked all over ebay, wa na man available. Pls let me know if one is available for me. ty
just bought my wife a second hand Lumina Bread maker. she is so excited to start making fresh bread. we’ve been looking for a bread maker for a long time now and when i found one, there were no second thoughts about it. i’m glad that it sounds like Lumina is a good buy. will appreciate more recipes from anyone. thanks.
Similar to coffee, fresh ground, or fresh milled, in this case, is best. The wheat varietals are more intense. Nutritionally, the germ and bran, will be intact. So, like coffee again, the whole grain won’t be stale. Have to say it, forgive me, but white flour and bread machines are the equivalent of 3-in-1. As you said, you’ll get there. A few pointers: the NYT no knead online articles to get started, Bob’s Red Mill and others.
BTW, the no knead method will have to be adapted to our temps and humidity, the recommendations pertain to temperate countries. Or just go ahead and knead, it’s a good stress buster. If you’re serious about bread making though, learn more and hold off on the bread machine.
hi! i just happened to be selling these Lumina Bread Makers.
I’m so lucky to have read about yOur blOg and many of us agrees that it really is heaven sent.:D
i’ve been using mine to make breads for our family’s weekend get togethers and it’s patok as always.
Is it okey if I post this link over @ my online selling sites for others to see?
if you have other friends who would want to buy one you can contact me po @
0926-674-1714..
Thanks a lOt and good day!
Hi Bobby!
I bought the same machine but there’s no instruction manual included.I’ve tried looking for a manual in the net but couldn’t find any. I saw your post that you were able to email the manual to Marie. Would you be so kind as to email me the manual as well? I need it asap. Please!!! So I can start baking bread like yours!!!
Thank you! I will really appreciate it.
Get the scanned copy here … http://timonera.com/temp/bread/
I actually bought another one, for my parents.
Hi!
If anyone of you wish to have a breadmaker like what has been posted to this blog, Breville Bread maker will be launched in the Phils come December. For free demo, please feel free to contact me at veggie_mph@yahoo.com
I have just bought the same bread machine and it is fantastic, I have used various brands but like this the best. I have the manual, but you can get a copy to download from a site which has most manuals for various products.
http://kitchen.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg/oster/oster_bread_maker_product_list.html
If you can’t get it I am willing to copy mine and post it to you, just say.
Pam
Hey Bobby thanks for the scanned manual – http://timonera.com/temp/bread/ . I just got mine yesterday and the xeroxed manual seems to lack some pages. I will be testing it tonight.
For those in Metro Manila interested to get one. You can get in touch with the person I bought it from. Nelson, 09162254527. Here’s his ebay listing (this has ended) – http://cgi.ebay.ph/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120491721650
Bobby, since you’ve been using the breadmaker for many months now, can you share any new recipe you discovered? I’m wondering what recipe you used for the bread in the picture. It looks corn yellow.
Thanks!
haha! haven’t really used it for anything else, only whole wheat bread. always been travelling these days, or too busy working on something. in fact, i sometimes buy too much flour, only get damaged over time coz i can’t have the time to bake. i should be able to use it more come the holidays.
Hi Bobby. I just got a bread maker from the US and I need to ask some questions from an experienced home-breadmaker before I try this out. Based on your experience in making good breads:
What type/brand of flour do you use?
What kind of yeast do you use?
What is dry milk?
Thanks.
hahaha! what made you think i’m an expert bread maker?
tell you what, i only do whole wheat bread. so it’s whole wheat flour. the yeast i use is the one readily available in groceries here. instant dry yeast by mauri foods i think. dry milk is powdered milk for us, i guess. so nido etc.
Hi:
Freshly roasted coffee, freshly made bread. Parang you cannot get these anymore in the City!
hi bobby, i got new stocks of lumina bread maker with cake function ( 2 models) you can catch it at my store in ebay.ph.thank you very much for all your referrals.9162254527
please visit my breadmakers in this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/SurfMart-Online/162433173781512
link to the breadmaker in ebay.ph
http://cgi.ebay.ph/LUMINA-BREADMAKER-CAKE-FUNCTION-/120678197660?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_211&hash=item1c18fb299c
http://cgi.ebay.ph/LUMINA-SIGNATURE-BREADMAKER-KITCHEN-SERIES-/120678196934?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_211&hash=item1c18fb26c6
my lumina breadmaker bought 2009 is already busted. the rubber belt that makes the paddles & dough mix already melted. Do you know any store that sells replacement belts? I looked every hardware in Paranaque & Makati. . . . nothing….
the belt on my 1st unit got busted, too. but i got another unit, so still happily baking.
like you, i can’t find that belt, too. i think it was custom built for that machine?
Hey Guys, i just bought a lumina signature bread maker last week as a gift for my mom for Christmas, the only problem is they don’t have the user manual too anyone there guy who could send me a copy of users manual..thank you so much
lloyd, if you read the comments closely, you could have read that a scanned copy of the manual is here – http://timonera.com/temp/bread/