An impressive accompaniment to any spring meal

Imagine the expression of delight on your face when one of these Flower Pot Herb Loaves turns up on the tray of your room-delivered breakfast at The Hotel Saugatuck Luxury Bed and Breakfast. Warm and fragrant, with the aroma of five herbs, this bread will delight the taste buds, too.

Innkeeper Farrell A. Leo said, “We love the American classics for breakfast along with something a little different thrown in like our sausage and kale breakfast bowl or my personal favorite, an Irish boxty of smoked salmon and creme fraiche with poached eggs. We always feature the best seasonal items available in West Michigan. I cannot wait to be rolling in the blueberries from all our local farmers.”

In addition to her impressive culinary skills, Farrell gets credit for this photo.

Each day at The Hotel Saugatuck, guests choose from three main-course options for their breakfast, which is delivered to their rooms at the agreed-on time.

 

Flower Pot Herb Loaves

Makes enough for six 4-inch terracotta pots

4 cups flour

1.5 tsp salt

1 package dry active yeast

2/3 cup milk, warm

1.5 cup water, warm

4 Tbsp butter, melted

vegetable oil to season pots

1 egg, beaten, for glaze

Mince herbs together:

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp parsley

1 Tbsp chives

1 tsp thyme

2 tsp rosemary

 

Sift flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix yeast in warm water.

Create a well in flour mixture for yeast and water mixture. Let sit for 10 minutes, then mix.

Add in warm milk, all herbs, melted butter. Mix until incorporated.

Turn out on clean surface. Knead about 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours. Will double in size.

Prepare terracotta flower pots by generously coating in vegetable oil. (It will take a few uses of the pots before they are seasoned. Expect some sticking of the dough the first couple of times.)

Preheat oven to 400F.

After the initial rise, punch down the dough. Portion the dough into six baseball-sized pieces. Place in prepared pots. Cover and let rise an additional 30 minutes.

Brush egg over the tops. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.