Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the milk, water, and oil in a separate, microwave-safe bowl, and heat to between 120°F and 130°F.

Pour the hot liquid over the dry ingredients.

Beat the dough by hand for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and starting to become elastic.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal.

Pour the soft dough into the pan, leveling it in the pan as much as possible. Dust your hands with some flour and press dough gently to evenly distribute.

Cover the pan, and let the dough rise for approximately 45 minutes to an hour till it's just barely crowned over the rim of the pan.

While dough is resting, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Remove the cover, and bake the bread for 22 to 27 minutes, till it's golden brown and its interior temperature is 190°F. If the top is browning too much cover loosely with a tin foil tent.

Remove the bread from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.

Let the bread cool completely before slicing.