This bread freezes well and is especially good served warm as an accompaniment for homemade soups and salads.

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup uncooked oatmeal (rolled oats)
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 1/2-3 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 1/2-2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 egg yolk
• Sesame seeds

Pour boiling water over old-fashioned rolled oats. Let stand until thoroughly softened.

Soak yeast in lukewarm water. It must not be hot. You can test it by dropping a little on your wrist.

Add salt, honey and melted butter, cooled to lukewarm, to oats.

Making sure that oats are just lukewarm, add yeast and mix well.

Gradually add flours and knead with your hands until dough is smooth and elastic. This should take approximately 10 minutes.

Put into lightly oiled bowl, turning it around to coat dough on all sides. Cover with cloth and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Oil 2 bread tins.

Punch down risen bread dough and cut in half. Knead each half briefly and shape into loaves. Place them in bread tins. Cover and let rise until pans are full. Preheat oven to 350oF.

Beat egg yolk lightly and add teaspoon of water. Brush surface of each loaf with egg mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 35-40 minutes.

Turn loaves out on a rack and let cool.