Bread Quality

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
While reading on another site about the poor quality of bakery breads in European countries, and in particular baguettes in France, I wondered how foodies here would rate bread purchased in bakeries and in-store bakeries in grocery stores here in the USA. I have only purchased an artisan loaf from a bakery once in the past year, and I was woefully disappointed in its flavor and texture, and I just don't buy any other breads because I'm a bread making junkie. What do some of you find out there as far as quality? Any international travelers here that could compare quality between the continents?
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
The breads in France were fabulous, I thought.
Bread anywhere in the UK is out of this world.
It's denser, and sweeter.
They seem to add a bit more sugar moreso in store bought breads.
More cakey, if that makes sense.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
First off I'm not big on eating breads but we do have a few good bakeries here including the WalMart almost next door. Now granted not every bread made by each is what I call good but we buy different kinds in different stores so we get about the best around here. A good example of what I mean is the WalMart here makes some of the best hot dog rolls and hamburger buns I've tasted. It think they are a potato bread. There is a bakery up the street (don't remember the name) has some of the best Italian bread in the area as does a little Italian oil shop down town from us. Meijer's bakery is great for cakes, baguettes, French bread and rye. With the bakery in the local Kroger's also good on some of the same breads though the other two in the area aren't so good. I think it really depends on the person baking the bread.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
how's that ditty go.... the bread in france falls mainly on the pain....

some years back there was a big stinkeroo in France regarding the quality of breads. local bakeries were shifting to mixes / par-baked, [whatever] because the labor costs to produce on-site were too high.

besides, at 35 hrs/week, asking for 33 hours a week, no body wants to get up so early anymore.

"locals" of the Old World do bemoan that sort of thing - however as I see it primarily when a 'corner' shop closes up and they lose the source of something very familiar. to the Wonderbread crowd, all the breads are wonderful but locals have very discriminating tastes.

one family I know buys, oops _bought_ - past tense - bread at three different bakeries:
one for white 'toast' bread only, that's all they ever bought there
one for rolls & pretzels
one for artisan loaves
- but now and then mixed the last two except that for cheese bread they never bought from Shop B, etc etc etc - a long list of preferences . . .

all three bakeries are in very comfortable walking distance of their front door. I'm not sure I've got three bakeries within 'overnight drive' of my front door. . . . anyway, one baker retired and no one took over his shop, he closed. everyone was moaning about not getting good "X" anymore....
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
I prefer my own bread but will buy from the shops. The best bread is from the master bakers.

The supermarkets vary considerably and I prefer using Morrisons where the bread tastes better and is much lighter - obviously down to the in store baker or the recipe used.
 

PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
The artisan breadbakers in our area make some awfully wonderful bread, Joe. Where have you been? I can pm you some places if you really want to try places out.
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
The artisan breadbakers in our area make some awfully wonderful bread, Joe. Where have you been? I can pm you some places if you really want to try places out.
The bread I bought came from a vendor in the West Side Market, and it was a loaf of Tuscan Italian with absolutely no flavor. I was really embarrassed because me and DW were called on at the last minute to cater a small luncheon for some muckety-mucks from the Diocese of Cleveland, and that was the only thing we could not control. If I were buying bread today for an event I would ask for a taste before buying, just like you can do at the deli counter.
 

UnConundrum

New member
Gold Site Supporter
There are no true artisan bakers anywhere near me :( Best available is the bakery in the Wegman's in Allentown. There's a small outdoor farmers' market in Emmaus from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm May - November, with a bakery stand that's ok. I just don't think today's artisans take the time to deal with pre-ferments and many just use mixes. I haven't found anyone who can make a baguette even close to what I do at home. Lately, I've been moving on to a crisceto for my pizza making; nothing like that anywhere near.
 

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PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
The bread I bought came from a vendor in the West Side Market, and it was a loaf of Tuscan Italian with absolutely no flavor. I was really embarrassed because me and DW were called on at the last minute to cater a small luncheon for some muckety-mucks from the Diocese of Cleveland, and that was the only thing we could not control. If I were buying bread today for an event I would ask for a taste before buying, just like you can do at the deli counter.

There are really great breads around--if you want to know where, pm me.
 
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