eat bread 90- bread

All of Your Bread Questions Answered

Why is bread put on the table at restaurants?

Many theories exist as to why restaurants put bread on the table. However, the old tradition of breaking bread is a way to show people they are welcome at your table. Having a basket of bread at the table is old fashioned hospitality!

What is Biga?

Biga is a mixture of flour, water, and yeast that is allowed to sit and ferment overnight. It is used by Italian bakers as a key component of Italian bread, ciabatta, and focaccia. Adding a little Biga to your dough will give the characteristic holes and crannies typical in artesian bread!

What is the most popular type of bread in the US?

According to Amazon, the e-tailer’s number one selling bread is King’s Hawaiian.

Will eating bread crust really make my hair curly?

While eating your bread crust will give you points for not wasting food, it has not been proven to curl your hair no matter how much you eat.

Holla if you love Challah bread! Why is it braided?

Challah bread is traditionally served in Jewish homes on Friday night and the start of the Sabbath. The reason it is braided is to show unity. Sabbath brings unity allowing time for family, friends, and relationship strengthening. All the different strands of the Challah are braided into unity of one loaf. Other theories are out there but one thing is certain, Challah is delicious!

Why do I crave bread when it snows?

Stocking up on the essentials to weather a storm is part of our psychological make up. Bread shelves are emptied when severe weather is forecasted on the news. Bread is known as a comfort food! Other items we stockpile when it snows are eggs, milk, batteries and water.

Why are hot cross buns baked on Good Friday?

Hot cross buns baked on Good Friday are said to contain more magic than calories! Early superstitions around the buns claim they have the power to ward off evil spirits if placed in the home, will never stale, and sailors who take a hot cross buns on their travels will be protected from to shipwreck. Hot cross buns baked at other times of the year do not have any magic.

Where did Pumpernickel get its name?

There are many theories on how the German rye bread was given the known name as pumpernickel.  One theory is based on the translation of the word. The German word “pumpern” means to break wind. The second part of the word “nickel” is thought to be derived from the name of a goblin or devil like character popular in German folk lore: Nicholas. Pumpernickel can be loosely translated as the devil’s fart which may reflect the difficulty some have digesting the bread.

Can sharing a loaf of bread make you fall in love?

According to folk lore in parts of Norway, when a loaf of bread is shared by a boy and a girl they will fall in love and get married. It is destiny!

Is it true that sliced bread was banned?

Fortunately, this was a short lived war time measure from January 18, 1943 to March 8, 1943. The ban on selling sliced bread was intended to keep bread prices low when flour prices increased by 10%.

Fry bread is so delicious! Where can I find some?

Fry Bread was designated as the Official Bread of South Dakota in 2005. If Fry Bread is your jam, book a flight to the black hills of South Dakota!

Is it safe to eat moldy bread?

When you see mold on your bread you are only seeing the spores and fruiting bodies. Your loaf of bread may have millions of mycelium, thin thread like roots, running throughout, but invisible to the eye. The USDA recommends discarding moldy bread and baked goods. Mold has been shown to cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Eating moldy bread is not recommended.

Can I put my bread upside down?

If you are in France it is a big No-No to place a loaf of bread upside down on a table. The French consider this a sign of bad luck.

What do you call the end pieces of a loaf of bread?

Heel, butt, and crust are common names for the ends of your loaf. In the US it breaks down like this:

  • 61 percent of people surveyed call it “heel”
  • 15 percent of people surveyed call it “end”
  • 14 percent of people surveyed call it “crust”
  • 3 percent of people surveyed call it “butt”

Which bread is better – French or Italian?

Hmmm, I think we better let you answer this one!

sourdough-artisan-eat bread 90

A Grand Bread-Eating Day: Day 16

I scored big today! I went to Grand Central Baking Company® and received three large artisan sourdough loaves. I told Margot Leonard, their Sales Manager, that my husband is a big fan of theirs. He won’t buy anything other than Grand Central loaves. She was thrilled to hear that and asked if I’d bring any home to him. I couldn’t guarantee that. You see, for those of you who are not from the Northwest, Grand Central Baking Company® is known for its high-quality artisan bread.

Campagnolo bread from Grand Central Baking Company.

Campagnolo bread from Grand Central Baking Company.

I brought the loaves to NedSpace, and that was the end of that. Everyone loved Grand Central’s bread, everyone ate it. None left for the #1 fan, my husband. The thing about artisan bread is that it is best eaten on the day it is baked. I think that resonates in everyone’s mind, like the bell to Pavlov’s dogs. When someone see the word Grand Central, it’s like an instant message that comes into their minds that instructs them to immediately devour the fresh loaves.

Even Jimmy Stanley from NedSpace, a self-proclaimed anti-gluten paleo fan, devoured a few fresh slices of Campagnolo. It reminded him of the days when he used to live in Italy, and he proclaimed that these were the best Campagnolo outside of Italy. We live streamed this Breaking Bread experience on Facebook, so please check it out on our BAKERpedia Facebook page.

Grand loaves

I’ve not been to Italy, but I do know how to judge a loaf by its taste. The three breads I received today were Campagnolo – a hearty and mild sweet (from a touch of honey), rugged country-style loaf combining coarse wheat and rye flour and a mix of eight whole grains; Multigrain whole wheat – a hearty loaf in the style of German breads, with a great mouthful of chunky grains in every bite; and Peasant Levain Boule – a gorgeous loaf with a dark crust and distinctive tang.

The multi-grain whole wheat loaf.

The multi-grain whole wheat loaf.

I loved the Peasant Levain Boule the best because it had an incredible chewy crust with a very moist and resilient crumb. Best of all, it was made from stone-ground whole wheat flour and rye meal.  Bread fans, have I made you hungry yet?

The sourdough technique that Grand Central Baking Company® uses is close to a 17 hour ferment. That means that all their breads will have a distinct light sour taste and a resilient chew to it. The slices from these breads were very dense, so I didn’t need to eat too many slices.

Each slice was about 56 grams, compared to the regular 43g/slice. This made a huge difference with the amount of slices I had to consume. Therefore, I easily finished all the slices by 3 p.m. today. Thank you Grand Central Baking Company®, for giving me a grand bread eating day!

Onions on cream cheese; fresh strawberries on apricot preserves both served on a Peasant boule slice from Grand Central Baking Company.

Onions on cream cheese; fresh strawberries on apricot preserves both served on a Peasant boule slice.

Here’s what I ate on Day 16 of EB90:

Food Portion Calories
Grand Central Campagnolo 4 slices (56g) 560
Grand Central Peasant Loaf 2 slices (56 g) 280
Grand Central Multigrain Whole Wheat 3 slices (56g) 480
Strawberries 1/2 C 20
Apricot Sugar-Free Jam 2 Tbsp 40
 Lemon Curd 2 Tbsp 120
Whipped Cream Cheese Spread 1 Tbsp 30
Almond butter Vanilla + Espresso 1 Tbsp 95
Peach spread 1 Tbsp 50
Mango 1 200
Butter (Salted) 1 Tbsp 100
BBQ Pork Ribs 4oz 420
Sauteed Spinach 1 C 48
30 min bike ride -380
Calcium Supp
Total 2063