Combine the water and milk and heat to 110°F on the stovetop or microwave. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the mixture is around 110°F.

Combine the warm water and milk with the honey (or sugar), and yeast in a large bowl or the bowl of your electric stand mixer. (Instant yeast does not need proofing, but if you are using active dry yeast, proof the yeast by letting it sit for 10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy. It should foam in the bowl. If yeast does not foam up, discard, and start again with new yeast.)

Add 3¾ cups of the flour along with the salt to the bowl. Mix together on medium speed, adding the pieces of butter one at a time until all the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and gradually add additional flour as needed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough in the mixer for 5 minutes, or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball, grease a large bowl with a little oil, and place the dough into the bowl, coating it with some of the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size - about 1½ to 2 hours. (Alternately, put the dough in the refrigerator overnight where it will rise slowly and develop more flavor.)

Generously grease a 9-inch loaf pan with butter or oil.

Turn the dough out on the counter and press it into an 8x12-inch rectangle. Turn the top third of the dough down towards the middle of the rectangle and use the heel of your hand to seal it to the rest of the dough. Then, fold the top two corners of the dough down to the center of the rectangle and again use the heel of your hand to seal the folded dough down. Roll the dough from the top down again, using the heel of your hand to seal it. Then, repeat the roll one last time shaping the dough into a log. Tuck the ends of the dough down toward the counter as you transfer the dough to the oiled loaf pan. Cover with oiled plastic wrap.

Place the dough in a warm place and let it rise until it doubles in again - about 30 to 60 minutes. The dough is ready when you gently poke it and it leaves a mark where your finger was, but springs back slowly.

Pre-heat the oven to 375˚ F and position a rack in the lower position of the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when you tap it. It should reach 195°F with an instant read thermometer. (For a crispy crust, place a 9x13-inch baking pan with water on the bottom rack of the oven to create some steam.)

Transfer the bread to a cooling rack. For a soft crust, brush the top of the bread with melted butter while it is still warm. After 5 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool for at least another 10 minutes before slicing.

The bread can be kept in a plastic bag at room temperature for about 4 to 5 days. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week, or you can freeze for 2 months. Unbaked dough loves can also be frozen as well. Remove the dough log from the freezer and place it in a loaf pan. Let the dough thaw and rise for about 4 to 5 hours before baking.