Keeping loaves of artisan bread fresh for more than one day can take some thinking.
I cut our bread from the middle of the loaf to keep the sliced surface from drying out. It works!
Before returning the loaf to its bag, I use an elastic to hold the two cut surfaces together. (We may also wrap the bread in a clean dish towel.)
A baguette will disappear quickly around here. But, when we have a large loaf, like B & R ciabatta, it does take a couple of days for us to finish it.
And, when we buy a special flavored loaf, like the Pain D'Avignon cheese loaf shown in the photo, it can take three or four days because we are usually eating a baguette in addition to the flavored bread.
Oh, and that cheese loaf also rates our "Best Bite" status. Pain D'Avignon describes it as:
"Well known in certain areas of France as Pain au Fromage. It originated in France where bread and cheese have a special place and value in every kitchen. Our Cheese bread is filled with Swiss and Bleu Cheese which give a wonderful flavor leaving a beautiful aftertaste in your mouth."
I'll agree and add that it doesn't share the flaws I've found in many cheese loaves. You still taste the bread, the texture is lovely, and it doesn't have a greasy finish. The cheese does nothing more than add a rich flavor to an excellent loaf of bread.
The second photo is of the last two little tips of the loaf as we made our way to the end. This was the size of a small dinner roll and the cut surface was still not dry.
Here's an earlier piece we did on B & R's Ciabatta loaf.
http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/06/b-r-artisan-bre.html
Update 2012: alas, B & R is long gone but you can still get great Ciabatta at Salumeria Italiana in the North End. And Nashoba is making a good version of the B & R baguette that we buy at Savenor's Market
Details:
Pain D'Avignon
15 Hinckley Road, Hyannis, MA
151 Cochituate Rd, Framingham, MA
http://brartisanbread.com/default.aspx
What's on your food lover's shopping list?
Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2008 Penny Cherubino
