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In most European countries and even Mexico, there are bakeries on just about every corner that sell amazing bread. Bread is a staple in most of these countries, so I guess that's why there are so many bakeries. In the US, bakeries are a rarity. The ones that do exist mostly sell cakes.
I guess if you ask most Americans what type of bread they eat, they'll say something like Wonder sandwich bread. Everyone else ends up buying a more gourmet sliced sandwich bread like whole wheat. A small minority of people buy bakery made breads at stores like Whole Foods. In most places across the US, this is about as close as you can get to European bread.
So my question is why is it so hard to find good bread in the US? I previously lived in Chicago which is one of the biggest cities in the country, and even there, I could only find a handful of bakeries that I thought had decent bread. And those bakeries despite charging high prices for bread were no comparison to the type of bread that you can get on just about every corner in Paris.
Is it because bread just isn't a staple in most American households? Or is it just a cultural or habit thing? Most Americans are used to eating white sandwich bread so maybe a bakery making European style bread wouldn't stay in business?
The vast majority of Americans don't know what real bread tastes like. They've grown up eating and buying the stuff weeks old that comes in plastic or "baked" at the supermarket.
You can't miss what you've never had.
In most European countries and even Mexico, there are bakeries on just about every corner that sell amazing bread. Bread is a staple in most of these countries, so I guess that's why there are so many bakeries. In the US, bakeries are a rarity. The ones that do exist mostly sell cakes.
I guess if you ask most Americans what type of bread they eat, they'll say something like Wonder sandwich bread. Everyone else ends up buying a more gourmet sliced sandwich bread like whole wheat. A small minority of people buy bakery made breads at stores like Whole Foods. In most places across the US, this is about as close as you can get to European bread.
So my question is why is it so hard to find good bread in the US? I previously lived in Chicago which is one of the biggest cities in the country, and even there, I could only find a handful of bakeries that I thought had decent bread. And those bakeries despite charging high prices for bread were no comparison to the type of bread that you can get on just about every corner in Paris.
Is it because bread just isn't a staple in most American households? Or is it just a cultural or habit thing? Most Americans are used to eating white sandwich bread so maybe a bakery making European style bread wouldn't stay in business?
It didn't used to be that way in the US, either. I remember getting bread from the local bakery when I was a kid. You can still get good bread in most better supermarkets, but you will pay more for it, and that's probably your answer. There is a subculture in the US that will trade off more and cheaper for less and better.
Mu mother also made homemade bread, something I never had time or reason to do.
I was only to Paris once in my life, for two days. I got a baguette at a corner bakery one morning and it was just wonderful. Ate half with my coffee, and I ate the other half that night with a half a bottle of wine as I went through the Chunnel on the way to London.
In the case of sliced bread, we only ever get Dave's Killer Bread. We much prefer the crusty, European style breads and rolls though. I also bake my own French style loaves in my bread machine for fresh-baked goodness.
In the case of sliced bread, we only ever get Dave's Killer Bread. We much prefer the crusty, European style breads and rolls though. I also bake my own French style loaves in my bread machine for fresh-baked goodness.
But it's not the same, right? My sister had one of those machines, but the bread she made did not seem to hold together. It was tasty, but it fell apart. Not easy to spread butter on it.
A few observations:
1. Maybe in the boonies people eat Wonderbread. Not in the large cities, where even the supermarkets now carry "artisanal" breads. We buy all sorts of interesting breads there. These are not the heavy breads of Europe but better than average. And yes, I buy these pre-sliced, as it saves time and aggravation.
2. In the US, time is money, and people work hard, although the increasingly idle proportion of the working-age population changes that somewhat. The work in the US starts early, and the working bees don't have a luxury of having an elaborate breakfast. Being retired, I have that luxury now, but not if I had to be out the door at 6 or 7 am. So pop the bread in the toaster -- and off you go. A totally different mentality form (relatively) lazy Europe.
3. Unlike Europe, we don't have the time to stroll to a corner bakery to buy that baguette. People come home exhausted, and the wives typically work as well. The same with meat, fish, etc. We are a highly industrialized country, where food is delivered long-distance in refrigerated trucks, not made on a farm next door.
4. True, food sophistication in the US is not the same as in Europe. That's partly because we have little time, partly because we are simple, no-nonsense, business-oriented people. Compare the typical short haircuts of the Americans to the long fussy hair of the Europeans (and even the Canadians). DJT is a special case.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marino760
The vast majority of Americans don't know what real bread tastes like. They've grown up eating and buying the stuff weeks old that comes in plastic or "baked" at the supermarket.
You can't miss what you've never had.
This, and then there are the "Gluten-free" crowd that won't eat bread because they think it's bad, though only a few people are allergic to it. I make much of our bread and rolls, always have a sourdough starter going. There is good bread available but you have to look for it, and for us, it's a good 1/2 hour drive away.
Some of the high end markets will have a few good baguettes and rolls but delivered in the wee hours, so not as fresh as warm out of the oven.
In the case of sliced bread, we only ever get Dave's Killer Bread. We much prefer the crusty, European style breads and rolls though. I also bake my own French style loaves in my bread machine for fresh-baked goodness.
I love that bread! For non-bakery or artisan bread, it's pretty great. If I'm buying artisan bread, I can get it at a local bakery or even Wegman's. They make their own in-house and the different kinds are yummy. Irish soda bread next month!
Luckily where I live there are 3 bakeries that make European type bread to die for.
I sent 2 loaves to my mother 800 miles away!
It was like the 'Old Country' to her. I didn't ans the op ques because others did already.
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There are reasons for mediocre bread here
