Savory Ham & Cheese Bread for a Late Summer Lunch

What's Going on Today: Reminiscing about vacation in Cooperstown earlier this month. Organizing daughter's fall wardrobe!
Naptime Goals: Start ironing labels into daughter's clothes. Bake loaf of Savory Ham & Cheese Bread.
Tonight's Menu: Savory Ham & Cheese Bread, Caprese Salad, White Wine.
Parenting Lesson of the Day: The fashion philosophy of a toddler: "More is more."

Leave it to my Mom to introduce me to a new bread that I want to make, and eat, every single day for the rest of my life. As some of you might know, my mother is a total Francophile. She even went so far as to ask my daughter to call her Grandmere. It didn't work - my daughter calls her something that might resemble an abbreviation - but she got her point across. There is no French lineage in the entire history of our family, but that doesn't mean we can't pretend.

Of course, the best way to pretend to be French is by eating the food. According to my Mom this savory ham and cheese bread would be the centerpiece of a French country lunch. A fresh loaf paired with a platter of fresh tomatoes and pitchers of citron presse, this would comprise a wonderfully simple summer meal. I don't know if this is true or not, I've never stayed in France for more than five days at a time, but I'll take her word for it. It certainly worked for me when we had lunch in Cooperstown.

Not only is this bread easy to bake during naptime, it really does make up the perfect snack or light summer meal. I love it's dense chewy cheesiness studded with salty ham. I found that toasting it made it taste similar to a gourmet slice of grilled cheese. It's pebbly texture is also very appealing, giving it a rustic quality befitting the style in which it should be enjoyed. I've seen breads similar to this in baskets at fancy restaurants, but I think I'll think with eating it the French way. On the back porch, for lunch, with Mom.

Savory Ham & Cheese Bread
 adapted from The New York Times
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
3 large eggs
1/3 c. whole milk
1/3 c. olive oil
6 oz. baked ham, cut into 1/4" cubes
6 oz. Gruyere, coarsely grated

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a loaf pan generously with butter.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, salt and pepper.
3. In a medium bowl lightly whisk the eggs, then whisk in the milk and olive oil.
4. With a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just mixed. Fold in ham and cheese.
5. Pour batter into loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake test comes out with a few crumbs attached.
6. Cool loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, turn it onto the rack and cool completely.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Serving Ideas: This bread tastes best when served warm. I am always able to give my daughter a slice to try after she wakes up from her nap. It also keeps well in the fridge when wrapped tightly.
Naptime Stopwatch: Making the batter takes about 20 minutes. Baking time is 40-50 minutes.
Naptime Reviews: This is a hit with adults and children. My daughter still seems to pick the ham out of the bread sometimes, claiming she doesn't like it, but eats it on other occasions. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.