Twenty years back in the United States, and I think I’m cracking. There’s no decent bread to be had anywhere. If it wasn’t for the bread we make ourselves, my kids would think that stuff in the stores and the bakeries was bread.
I drove all over Longmont this morning looking for bread – and don’t tell me about Great Harvest – that squishy, dense, sweet muffin dough on steroids they call bread is not what I’m looking for. And how any self-respecting baker can keep a straight face saying “hard roll” while handing you a plastic bag of sad, soft blobs is beyond me.
I gotta go punch down the dough.
Hee-hee! I know what you mean. Having been introduced to Scandinavian breads by my mom, I know better now.
There’s a couple of German bakeries in Fredricksburg (about 2 hours from here) that I always stop in and get something from if I’m out that way.
Except for Finnish Karjalanpiirakka, I haven’t tried to make bread yet. I said I would about a month ago, but now I’m on a diet. Still, I think it’s about time I tried making my own.
FWIW, I’ve thought that the bread from Marczyk’s on 17th and Clarkson in Denver makes reasonably good ciabatta. Also, the crumb and crust on their baguette-style bread isn’t too bad. (P.S. – I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who thinks that the mush available here in Longmont is really bad.)
I am SUCH a disappointment, and in SO many ways *grin* Alas, I’ve tried the chi-chi bakeries of Boulder just to come up disappointed over and over. Here’s an out-of-the-box idea that sometimes pays off for us: the “artisan” (not really, but that’s what they call themselves) breads at… get ready for it… Albertsons. Sometimes their seeded semolina is all right. Not consistently, mind you, but often enough to make it worth a bet.
I remember mom, grandmom and even myself early on baking bread. Nothing fills a room so quickly with a smile is the smell of baking bread.
Our stores have bakery departments but since I have to watch carbs so much I have to give up much of my love of bread.
I can remember the bread man home delivering, and oh the smell when the truck doors opened. Now when I walk the bread aisles of the packaged stuff it smells stale. Also spoils so quickly!
I was hoping you would have suggestions, Patricia! Denver’s too far (whining now). Actually, Whole Paycheck has some good French breads, but not anything substantial.