Have you heard of San Francisco sourdough bread? It’s leavened with wild yeast found in that part of the country. This is my local version, made with starter developed here in Georgetown. The bread’s sturdy crumb stands up well to all sorts of sandwich ingredients and also makes great toast.
Every time I bake ciabatta, I wonder why I don’t make it more often. The dough can be very sticky and challenging to work with, but the results are so worth it. Ciabatta is a fantastic bread for summer sandwiches. It has a soft, open interior (full of holes) that soaks up the juices from things like ripe tomatoes, and a sturdy crust that keeps everything contained. 😊
Durum flour–which is also used to make pasta–gives this crusty Italian loaf its pale yellow color. This bread makes great toast and excellent garlic bread. It’s also a nice choice for sandwiches where you want a softer texture than sourdough. Available plain or with sesame seeds.
Challah is an enriched bread, meaning it has some fat and sweetener in addition to the usual flour, water, yeast, and salt. The yellow color comes from eggs in the dough. This lovely braided loaf is made with maple syrup, making it perfect for French toast. The texture of the bread is open enough to soak up lots of your egg & milk mixture, but firm enough not to turn to mush. Not into French toast? It would also be an elegant addition to your table for a family meal or dinner party.
This hearty bread includes sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, and flax seeds as well as some whole wheat flour. It makes excellent toast–try it topped with hummus!
