The Bread Board

Do you know where your food comes from? Do the terms ‘sustainable farming’ or ‘ethically and responsibly sourced’ mean anything to you? Do your customers care about any of this, or is price the most important thing to them?

Over the past decade the food and agriculture industry has undergone major change. That’s no surprise considering the impact of rapid population growth on agricultural land use, the rising cost of food production, climate change, and the shifting geo-political landscape.

A lot of thought and planning goes in to a menu. From creating and implementing certain dishes that capitalise on seasons and seasonal ingredients, to special events or an establishment’s theme (Greek, Italian, etc…). Menus will always need to go through some form of change to remain fresh, exciting and relevant. One way in which menus are changing is by providing alternatives for those who have special dietary requirements.

What kind of dietary requirements should you take in to consideration?

When it comes to bread, do you know how many variations there are? There’s a lot. Sure, it’s not a definitive number, but when you consider there are well over 300 variations in Germany alone, of which some even have regional variations , you can kind of get the picture.

But one of the most confusing questions anyone has asked in regard to bread is: “Which bread is the best?”

In this blog, we focus on the three most common types of grain bread – wholemeal, wholegrains and multigrain, which are typically considered to have the most health benefits. So, what’s the difference between these grain breads and is there one that stands out superior to all the rest?

The festive season brings out the baker in all of us. It’s the family get-togethers, the warm nostalgia of an annual reunion of far-flung family members, the sharing, the air of positivity, the reflection on the year that was and the promise of the year that will be.

With the festive season comes an influx of mouths to feed. With that in mind, here are three inventive festive season baking ideas that are sure to delight you and yours this Christmas.

At Bakers Maison we take our sandwiches pretty seriously. Sandwiches are our metaphorical bread and butter, after all. So when we compile a list of sandwiches from all over the world, we do so comprehensively. While many lists across the internet tick the boxes, they often focus on the ‘wiches we know and love while forgetting their lesser-known counterparts.

With this in mind, we have curated the following listicle of between-bread comestibles, scouring the knowledge of our team and the online community of sando lovers to bring it all together.

Like every other manufacturing sector, baking continually faces challenges and competition to stay relevant and become more efficient. Aside from business and community pressures, there are also environmental pressures as well.

Once an industry that focused on the manual ‘hands-on’ approach, where the only way to increase production was to get up earlier and work longer hours, now, the baking industry has embraced technology.

With Spring already sprung and Summer hot on its heels, the weather is warming up and becoming more agreeable for entertaining. So. what’s a girl, or guy, to do?

This month we are taking a look at some of the most popular breads and pastries to serve and supply for the entertaining season. And how can we start this blog without featuring our finest and most popular product the…

While many tend to have them for breakfast with a coffee on the run, the humble croissant is far more versatile than you may think. Aside from the standard ham and cheese croissant, there are other toppings and fillings that can be used to add a great twist to such a classic.

 Charting the rise of the sandwich, from invention to evolution, from where it’s been to where it’s going.

The humble sandwich. The ‘sando’. Two slices with the hearty stuff in between.

Whether you’re the person preparing the food or the person consuming it – or the person running the hospitality business that serves it – the shifting perceptions around fresh and frozen food are real. Perceptions are changing. And fast.

The changing image of fresh food and frozen food in the world of baking is being facilitated by the evolution and widespread industry adoption of par-baked and ready to prove bread products.

According to Coeliac Australia, approximately one in 70 Australians are affected by coeliac disease , a significant medical condition that can cause serious problems if it not diagnosed and treated. Coeliac disease is now four times more common in Australia than it was five decades ago. Recent research has also found that around 2.4 million Australians, or 10 per cent of the population, are following a gluten-free diet.

The term ‘food intolerance’ is becoming more widely known. The blanket term, covering intolerances and allergies is ‘food hypersensitivity’, and although some of the symptoms may be similar, food intolerances and allergies are not the same.

When it comes to bread, regardless of its final form, we all subliminally know it has been around for quite some time. However, some types of breads have a very interesting history and evolution, like sourdough.

The first recorded civilization to have used sourdough was the ancient Egyptians around 1500BC. Like many inventions, it was believed that Sourdough was discovered and created by accident.

It stands as a testament to humanity’s pursuit of finding more opportunities to eat that we came up with a new terminology and time slot to eat, like Brunch.

So, where did the term Brunch come from?

When you ask those in the food industry there is a lot of confusion surrounding its origins. Some say it originated in England, while others say New York, yet it can be confirmed the word brunch first appeared in print in an 1895 Hunter’s Weekly article by British author Guy Beringer, in an article aptly titled ‘Brunch: A Plea’.¹

(http://www.cada.co.uk/our-food-trend-predictions-for-2017/)

(http://www.quo.es/salud/calorias)

There is something about a sausage sizzle that makes people happy. It could be the name, or it could just be the fact that most people know when to get one on their Saturday mornings. Bunnings, we’re looking at you!

However, what most people do not know is the humble sausage sizzle was not always considered an Australian food. In fact, in the late 19th or early 20th century, a sausage sandwich was deemed a German or Italian style of food. Which was due to the type of sausage used to make the sandwich.

Christmas is a time for family and friends, the giving of gifts, and eating yourself in to a food coma. Well, the last part may not entirely be the objective, however, some do prefer a little nap after eating.

Yet, no matter how much we eat on Christmas day, there is usually still enough leftovers to feed an army for quite some time. There is only so much chicken, turkey, ham and prawns we can eat until we never want to see them again.

Here are some sandwich recipes we believe you can use to help reduce the amount of leftovers in your fridge:

The end of the year is speeding towards us faster than a waitperson on roller skates. It’s also one of the busiest times of year for the food service industry, with staff lunches, company Christmas lunches, family and friend lunches and dinners, Christmas parties – the list is longer than Santa’s naughty or nice.

Summer, it’s one of the greatest times of the year. The days become longer, you get to spend more time outdoors, and the cuisine changes to light and crisp fare. Traditionally, most of your customers may be looking at salads when they want something quick, but we have some recipe recommendations for delicious summertime sandwiches:

1. Gourmet Ciabatta Ham, Ricotta & Tomato Sandwich

When it comes to bread, it’s sometimes hard to see anything but the sandwich as its ultimate use. Therefore, if bread has only one use, why are there so many different varieties available? In this blog we are taking a look at Turkish Bread, and how versatile the one loaf can be.

Bastille Day, to most is a celebration of all things French. Wine, cheeses, pastries, more cheeses and more wine - who wouldn’t want to celebrate that?

For those that don’t know, 14th July marks the day the Bastille was stormed by just under 1,000 anti-monarchists at the beginning of the revolution. However, celebrations would not begin for another 100 years and the day is more about celebrating national pride than political unrest.