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Chewy bread as a good thing?


heidih

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Host Note: Split from another post by Franci 03 Jan 2014

I also wanted to ask for very long time. Likely it's a language issue but when I read of chewy bread, I have an hard time understanding why it has a positive connotation. In Italy if you call a bread chewy is considered gummy, not a good bread. I do in fact find most American breads too chewy and I came to associate this particular aspect with a bread made with very high gluten. Is just a matter of language or of preference in bread characteristics?
King Arthur bread is pretty good, I've always liked it.

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I am not sure if I can explain but I'll try and hope someone more articulate will chime in. You know how if you take a slice of white sandwhich bread and tear it up and cover it with milk to make a panade? It will quickly soak up the milk and disintegrate. If you were to do the same with what I consider chewy bread, it would take much longer to soak up the milk and break down. You can use chewy bread to soak up the last vestiges of a delicious sauce without fear that it will embarass you by dropping onto your plate or your lap an inch from your mouth! Ciabatta is chewy.

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Ok, so it is definitely a matter of language. In my mind chewy translates into rubbery. Actually on the ability of the bread to absorb liquid without becoming glue (requirement for pappa al pomodoro or panzanella) I really believe it is a very difficult bread to find.

Anna, Italians do like do dip their cookies in milk and the most praised cookies "da inzuppo"- that is the world!- are the one that can hold a lot of milk without melting but I don't think there is this problem for bread, maybe a milk bread is not really suitable for mopping the plate, yes.

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