The Story of A Dry Bread

I meant to say rye bread.

But my French rye bread was a little on the dry side. It's always nice to learn the history and/or the story behind that certain recipe and how it came to be. The same couldn't be said about those posh-looking bakeries many of us walked into, at least once, in shopping malls.

The bread is alive!

Besides, the only story we'd tell others about that particular establishment is the costly loaves. In time, patronizing these places will be nothing more than history for some; with a less-than-sweet memory of burning a hole the pocket for something less than a sourdough – effort-wise.

Still looking for a stromboli here.

On Pane di Prato:

This typical Tuscan bread, also known as Pane Toscano, is made without salt. The absence of salt has a historical explanation. During the Middle Ages, Tuscany’s neighboring provinces controlled the Italian salt market, levying a heavy salt tax. Unwilling to submit to their rivals,  the Tuscans created breads made without salt. Such breads have a yeasty flavor, but quickly become stale. Tuscan cooks have developed a tradition of dishes using stale bread

-EricTreuille and Ursula Ferrigno, Bread

There's more to a loaf of bread than flour, water, salt, and leaven. We're so used to eating those plastic-packed loaves of soft bread that will only keep for 3 days or so. Anything that tastes different from these "standards" are not bread at all. Artisan bread are usually too dry, denser, and chewy. Bad.

Pain de seigle. French rye bread. (Source: La Panière)

Oh well, I grew up eating those "standard" slices everyday. Just thought I could bake my own. Never mind me, I'm on a restricted diet; for financial reasons that is.

To bake or to buy, to each his own! ^.^