What makes artisan bread so special?

[Lucyellensmum95]

Its really expensive so i have never bought it, what is it exactly?

Well, it's rustic and middle class innit?

It's not made by the Chorley method so it takes longer to make. More time = more labour?

I have no idea what artisan bread is.

It just means made by someone who thinks s/he is a craftsman. Usually it's made with a lot less mechanical stuff (eg steam-rising) than commercial stuff.

But if you make your own bread you could call it artisan. Frankly if it tastes good who cares?

the little flecks of unground flour?

oh, my DP and DD have made bread tonight - they must be artisans then :)

I'm sure I remember reading it has more salt than is recommended (that's why it's yummy)

I think they roll it around on the floor so it picks up lots of little bits of tasty grit

Artisan bread simply means a bread that is hand made, rather than by a mechanical process.

It can have any flavour, depending on the person who makes the bread. There isn't one universal recipe for 'artisan bread'.

Is it bread with twigs in it? Like real ale?

It's woven with lentils.

Bread wi' nowt tekken out.

I quite fancy bread with twigs in.

I quite fancy wine...

I quite fancy some real ale!

It has Artisans in it of course! They're endangered.

It's made by jolly nice people who sell it on the farmer's market to other jolly nice people. For approximately three times as much as the same thing costs in Waitrose, and five times as much as the same thing in Greggs.

Well, it's more expensive, so that must mean it's better, no?

Very middle class.

You buy it in farmer's markets for about a fiver a loaf, and its locally made blah blah therefore it must be good.

We bought some. I thought it was crap. Was dry and heavy and not very enjoyable at all.

But then I rather like plasticy commercial bread.

Those patterns in the top of the loaves are made by Helga pressing the dough into her armpit hair before baking.

The earthy taste is where little Cressida has had a knead after playing with her organic slug farm.

I have a secret craving for a Warburton's toast loaf :(

Slow risen bread is much better for you. The gluten is more broken down & easier to digest. Shop breads, even fresh, often made quickly & with far more ingredients than necessary (flour, water, salt, yeast). You are paying for people's time.

You mean, I could spend 30 minutes making some bread and then some berk person would pay me a fiver for it? Hmm, could be on to something here.

The Real Bread Campaign

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Dilly, so its a bit like this but for beer ?

Do you have to have it with Naice Ham?