Break me off a piece of this...no, I'm talking about maple oat bread, not your bodyyyy!

Today, I had a hankering to tackle a new bread that I haven't baked before...and tackle I did, kittens. It was a brisk, fall day here in Boston, yet the sun was shining and the rolled oats were calling to me, and so, looking around my kitchen, realized I had all the necessary ingredients for the "Maple Oat Bread" in Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Bread, which was gifted to me by my sister for my birthday last month.The "Maple Oat Bread" is a recipe concocted by the owners of Staffords in the Fields, at the base of Mount Chocorua in New Hampshire, just down the road from my Mum's summer digs. The inn's owner, Ramona Stafford, serves it at the nightly meal for guests, but says its excellent, too, for lunch sandwiches--and since the sandwich is my crowning achievement, I intend in the coming days to try it as the binding for whatever delicous meats or cheese I put betwixt said bread.And while I wouldn't recommend this bread for someone who is fearful of baking, it was well-worth the 3-plus hours that needed to alloted for oat cooking, dough rising, kneading, and long baking. The bread is oddly hearty--a touch sweet from all natural Maple Syrup--yet healthy from a robust oat-based dough.The yeast-to-rise process is pretty much fail-proof, however, because you cook a cup of rolled oats in boiling water for one hour, then just add the yeast, maple syrup, salt, oil, and flour.This is the most mushy, sticky dough I've ever experienced, and quite frankly, I was almost screaming, "It's simply not worth it!" when I was up to my elbows in oaty mush akin to morning breakfast, but give it a lot of time to take that flour and kneading is essential. One thing, if you have this recipe and give it a whirl, I would be sure to tell you I used way more than the five cups flour called for--the dough was so sticky I had to keep working in 1/2 cup bits every few turns and kneads of the dough.This is a long bake bread--meaning it takes nearly an hour in the oven, and nearly three hours prep time if you include all the rising and oat cooking. But, the yield is worth it--two loaves!And thanks to Google Books, you can get the recipe for free here. So try this bread and let me know if you like it!File Under: Inn-love with this bread. Anyone who wants a slice, just drop in!