Just before Christmas, our valiant leader and generous benefactor Kevin Rudd gave most Australians a little pre-Christmas bonus. As he smiled benevolently, he encouraged us all to take our money and spend it.

So, following Kevin’s instructions, I decided to buy a bread maker and I have to admit that I lurve it (yes, that’s right, I love it so much I’m willing to deliberately spell a word incorrectly).

My lovely, shiny, stainless-steel bread maker is a Breville Ikon BBM600 Baker’s Oven. It has a little compartment for adding fruit and nuts, the kneading blade folds down before the loaf begins to bake, it has umpteen different settings and it makes really nice bread.

While Meredith may roll her eyes at my enthusiasm, I notice that she is still willing to sample the products of my dear bread makers labour. So far I have produced standard loaves as well as cheese bread, cheese and bacon bread, rolled oats and brown sugar sweet bread and chocolate bread.

It’s got to be worth getting a bread maker just for the chocolate bread.