If you have ever made bread, you know that kneading the dough is a vital step in the process. The harder you knead the dough, the better  the texture.  I have been thinking about this concept - baking bread - and how it applies to life.

In the hands of the Baker, dough is kneaded, shaped, molded, given time to rest and rise and finally sent into the heat of the oven. Without all those steps however, without the kneading, and shaping, and the application of heat - the loaf of bread will never turn out right, It will just be a flat, lifeless, burnt and crusty mess. Sometimes, I can feel deeply worked over, flipped upside down and all around by life. But in the end, I find that it's a necessary  part of my process.

But when it's right, a good loaf of bread is full of flavor and ready to be shared. This rightness, this process that turns out a delicious product, is what Panera Bread is all about. They have a whole section of their website devoted to sharing their passion for bread called The Baker's Table.




And the more I have been researching Panera Bread for this post, the more respect I have for this company. They tell a story with their baking. They savor and celebrate the process as much as the product. Panera Bread's commitment to fresh ingredients and incorporating healthier choices to their menu is something I appreciate, respect and admire and both consumer and advocate.

For more on Panera Bread, including where to find your nearest location, be sure to visit www.panerabread.com

One of my favorite parts when learning about bread baking is when they talk about in the "Fresh Ingredients" video about the baker setting aside the dough to rest and rise for a day. When was the last time you took a day to "rest and rise"?


 I was compensated by Panera for this post, which makes it advertorial content and not a review. But I think Panera is a company worth promoting and putting my influence behind and can't recommend it enough. I am among a group of bloggers who are taking part in a 3 month promotion for Panera Bread and will be getting to share more delicious goodness with you.