The Bread Revolution of recent times means that good quality 'real' bread is available almost everywhere. But, I must say that we are blessed with this particular variety, above.
Within a radius of about 10 Kms we have 5 small 'artisan' bakers; one of which is exceptional. This loaf is simply called a gros pain, it weighs 1 kg 700 gms, tastes fantastic, and lasts us a week.
This type of bread goes through several stages. When freshly baked it is usually eaten in its 'natural' state, with paté and cheese, or buttered and eaten with fruit conserves. Mid week it is toasted for a variety of breakfast dishes. And towards the end of the week (when it hardens slightly) a few slices are often used for making our local garlic soup; tourin.
The older I get, the more I appreciate the simple things of life. Even driving a 20 Km round trip to buy something as mundane as a loaf of bread has become an essential ritual. I also continue ye olde superstitious tradition of drawing a cross underneath the loaf, before letting the knife cut its first slice.
When we first moved to France, one could still buy the huge 5 Kg round tourte loaves (like the Italian version above). These would feed a large family for a week. Unfortunately these seem to have completely disappeared. Maybe I should ask my man to make one for me in the summer.
Yes, give us this day our daily bread, but make sure mine comes from the tiny bakery in nearby Freyssinet-le-Gelat.
Oh wow, Cro, the bread looks delicious! I love good bread with fresh butter.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm hungry.
Good bread is the main thing I miss on a Gluten Free diet - GF bread is just not the same. That load is making my mouth water.
ReplyDeleteYum !
ReplyDeleteBe still my beating heart
ReplyDeleteSadly, if the 5kg loaf were to be produced in England it would be about five minutes before some fast food chain filled it with 10kg of miscellaneous animal bits and sink-gravy and marketed it a single serving ...
ReplyDeleteI love the 'ritual' of buying bread in France ... it's one of the things I miss the most when we come back to the UK...
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's a totally different experience. I have a definite 'relationship' with my baker.
DeleteLove the bread from the Frayssinet baker. It freezes well too.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful work of art that loaf is!
ReplyDeleteFrench bread is one of the things we are loking forward to when we visit next year. No-one seems to be able to bake bread like it here in Oz - even the many French trained Vietnamese bakeries that are springing up everywhere can't seem to do it.
ReplyDeleteSigh!
When i lived in France, i loved buying bread. Yes, the pastries were nice, too, but it was the bread that stole my heart.
ReplyDeleteI've tried making my own and have tried loaves from different bakeries. One place here comes close, but it's still not the same.
Looks yummy, especially with the wine.
ReplyDeleteNow those are some cool photos, Cro. Great minds think alike on the bread blogging ( or is it that fools never differ?);-)
ReplyDeleteYou are very fortunate, indeed.
ReplyDeleteI too have had to renounce gluten, and have therefore reserved my 2 first weeks in Heaven for eating. This bread will be on the menu.
ReplyDeleteBread with rich butter and ripe cheese, is that not as near an approximation to heaven as we can have from here anyway?
Greetings, Mary.
Oh yes. I don't deprive myself; even on earth.
DeleteI lived in Spain for five years back in the late 50's and they used to deliver bread by mule out of big woven saddle baskets and covered over with burlap, it was marvelous.
ReplyDelete