A quick, informal poll of friends and family has revealed that mopping up the last yummy bits on your plate with a piece of bread is ... controversial. Some approve, some don't. Some approve only in the most casual of circumstances and others would only do this if dining alone. With the blinds pulled. And the lights off.

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I don't feel like the table is really set unless there's a basket of dinner rolls to pass around. Whether it's a simple chili dinner with friends or Thanksgiving itself, some sort of warm buttery bread feels necessary for nibbling throughout the meal and then scooping up that last saucy bite. Here are ten recipes that will do the job quite nicely. More

To my mind, brown betties belong to that same class of obscure and creatively-named Early American fruit desserts as crisps, cobblers, and pandowdies. But the key ingredient in the case of a brown betty is not flaky pie crust or rich cake or even dollops of biscuit. No, for a brown betty, you need plain old sandwich bread. More

Who doesn't love a good ciabatta roll? There's the crust that is first crisp, then chewy. And then that soft spongy crumb with all its beautiful holes, perfect for mopping up the last bits of sauce from the plate. Or if you prefer, smearing with jam and eating while still warm from the oven. More

So you've chopped, sautéed, stirred, and simmered — and you're ready to eat some soup. You don't really want to spend a lot of time on another side dish or bread, but soup still demands some accompaniment. Personally, I love flatbread with soup — it tends to be quicker to make. Whether it's pita, socca, or homemade tortillas, flatbreads round out a meal and soak up soup perfectly. Here are seven favorites from the archives. More

Breakfasts can get a little rushed as the holidays grow nearer and nearer. Heck, everything can get a little rushed. But with a little planning, fall breakfasts can be something other than cold cereal or coffee shop scones. More

Folks in America may not be too familiar with Moro, unless they've made it a point to visit this well-loved Moorish restaurant while in London or have browsed one of their stunningly beautiful cookbooks, which are available here. Luckily for us, The Guardian has made a wonderful set of videos with Moro's co-owner Sam Cook where he demonstrates how to make Moro-style food at home.
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After talking about that Goldilocks ideal of kneaded dough that's "just right," it's worthwhile to spend some time looking at the other ends of the spectrum. Knowing when you're under-kneading or over-kneading, and correcting for it, can mean the difference between a bummer loaf of bread and a fantastic one. More

Knowing when you can stop kneading the dough is among the more mysterious aspects of baking bread. Sure, it's no longer a wobbly mess of bubble-gummy dough, but is it really done? Here are a few clues to look for. More

Don't you want a slice of this? Right now? Toasted and buttered? Ladies and gentlemen, let's bake some bread. More