Bread Mixes By Baked Better

We admire the fortitude of the "starter" set, those who use the Tartine Bakery cookbook as scripture and plan vacations around the cycle of their yeast cultures.

But during the holiday bustle, we simply don't have time to count ourselves among those fanatics.

Thanks to the new company Baked Better, making freshly baked loaves at home is no longer a time suck. The New York team has launched three mixes ($7), which require only the addition of water and a bout in the oven.

For a hearty loaf, the Dumbo Delicious is rife with flaxseed, pepitas, oats and sesame seeds. It is a workhorse, supporting leftover turkey in a sandwich or a swipe of jam for breakfast with equal aplomb.

Those with a sweeter tooth should look to the Cobble Hill Crave, which contains cranberries and walnuts.

Our favorite, though, might be the Park Slope Staple. Like the vanilla ice cream of the carbohydrate world, this basic mix begs for your most creative enhancements: chopped olives and Parmesan, and rosemary and Concord grapes are just two of the combinations we've tried thus far.

So go ahead and book that vacation.