I have easily made over 500 loaves of bread, and this one has magical powers! Truly! As soon as my son cut into the just cooled loaf, I knew it was going to be amazing; but one look at those marvelous holes*, I was transported! Back to Italy, when long, lazy lunches on the terrazzo would give way to dusk and dinner-time; we were so pleasantly stuffed from an incredible noon feast, we couldn’t possibly eat another bite… yet, the bread, olive oil, and finely grated cheese, bowls of ruby red, sun-warmed tomatoes, lightly drizzled with more olive oil and salt, were placed in front of us, and we were suddenly famished. Dipping that bread into the olive oil, soaking up bits from the ruby fruit ~ see? Were you right there with me? Could you almost taste it? THAT, my friends, is the power this bread has!

Whether you’re…