Old Order Amish Bread

One of my personal missions in baking bread, is to see if I can come close to my father's bread. My father, like his brothers and his father worked as a baker all of his life. I started to help in the bakery when I was 12 years old. Although I have his hand written recipes, they consist only of ingredients in large batch quantities without any directions. So here some 40 years later I am trying to re-create something that only exists in my memory.

I tried this version of white bread that I found in Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads. Its an Old Order Amish Bread that required three risings. The result is light, airy, flavorful with a lovely smell and a slight tinge of yellow. I was able to knead it enough by hand to create a very elastic dough. I'm pleased with the results although it is "missing" something from what was in my dad's bread. Great toasted.