A true classic of Liguria, the pandolce genovese is the typical Christmas sweet of the region. It has ancient origins. From the time of the Pharaohs, it was customary to make enriched sweet bread with raisins. The Genovesi merchants discovered it during their travels to the Middle East and carried it back to their tables, where it evolved over the centuries. (more…)

How we make our breads.

All of our breads are made with four basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast. To these four ingredients we sometimes add such ingredients as nuts, olives, herbs, and cheese. Our breads contain no preservatives. However, some do contain eggs, butter and/or oil for flavoring purposes, which also extend shelf life.

All of our breads begin with a pre-ferment. A pre-ferment is a portion of fermented dough that is mixed into each batch of bread dough. Some bread is made with pre-ferment that includes commercial yeast. For our naturally leavened breads, we use a pre-ferment made from a starter containing only natural yeast strains and get their sour flavor from a friendly bacteria unique to our area.

Fermentation is what gives bread flavor. But more than flavor, using a pre-ferment favorably affects crust (thickness and color), crumb (texture), and shelf life. Good bread takes time! A loaf of our bread takes from 30-48 hours to make.

Our current bread offerings include:

• Pain de campagne - this French country loaf is made from a natural leavening similar to, but not as sour as, American sourdough. It is made with a combination of organic white flour with organic whole wheat flour, water and sea salt.
• Pain au levain - Naturally leavened, made from organic whole wheat, spelt, and rye flours, water and sea salt. A dense, chewy interior and firm crumb makes this classic French country bread a favorite.
• Traditional French - this is our version of the classic crusty bread found in many of Paris’ boulangeries. It is made using the poolish method from organic flour, water, sea salt and yeast. Available as baguettes and batards.
• Pain a l’Ancienne - this bread is allowed to ferment, refrigerated, for 24 hours before final shaping and baking. This extended fermentation under cool conditions allows complex flavors in the bread to develop.
• Pane Rustico - free form in its look with a soft waxy interior and large holes, this bread is great for soaking up sauces and soups.
• Pane Oliva - a rustic loaf filled with lots of organic Calamata olives. This is quickly becoming one of our most popular breads.
• Pane Siciliano - this bread is made from a high percentage of semolina and enriched with olive oil and honey. The dough is formed into an ‘S’ shape and coated with sesame seeds before baking.

Our artisan breads are currently available at the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmer’s Market. The market is open from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm each Saturday. Come early as we tend to run out of our most popular breads quickly. Click here to learn more about our breads. In November, we will move indoors at the Wintermarket on Elmwood.