Breaking Bad Bread in Italy

[hathor]

We live in Umbria, part-time. Take heart, and do not be jealous. We use the bread for door stops. Works very well, but our local friends are bit insulted.

[Bill Klapp]

hathor, not only hard enough, but dense and heavy enough to be used as a doorstop, too?

[hathor]

hathor, not only hard enough, but dense and heavy enough to be used as a doorstop, too?

Absolutely. Varnished or unvarnished, quite lovely. Dreadful if you stub your toe. My town bakery specializes in bread that could pass for a medieval weapon. Please, place your orders now...I always feel obligated to buy some when I'm there.

[artisanbaker]

i've never had good bread in italy, but ironically one of the best bakers i know is italian. email the maestro himself for a suggestion maybe?

http://www.giorilli.com/profilo.htm

[Hest88]

This is fascinating. I remember complaining about the quality of bread at the Italian restaurants in suburban NYC that my FIL took us to. I just assumed it was a suburban NY, northern New Jersey thing. Maybe those restaurants were actually just being true to their Italian roots? ;)

[DeirdreStraughan]

I've found both good and bad bread in all the parts of Italy I've visited so far. My favorite is wood-baked Roman casereccio, with a thick, crunchy crust. Keeps forever, which is unusual for Italian bread (except the saltless Toscano, which I abhor).

Generally, you just have to search for a good bakery. In Milan, the ones nearest our home were mediocre at best, but there was an excellent one a few blocks away - which always had a huge crowd, so I think many Italians do know the difference. In our new home in Lecco we're still looking, and may have found a place after asked at a restaurnt the other night where they get their excellent bread. Unfortunately, the bakery they get it from is not very near our home.