Artisan Breads Catching On In The Home And In Retail Food Shops

Specialty breads that are handcrafted in small batches with the most basic of ingredients – and no preservatives – are regaining a foothold in American homes and bakeries as consumers “embrace local back-to-basic foods,” writes Meredith Hines Dochterman. The trend is catching on because consumers are realizing that bread isn’t just something that comes packaged from a grocery store. A specialty baker in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for example, sees the artisan bread trend picking up steam in small local coffee shops, sandwich joints and bakeries like his. Consumers are seeing expanding choices more than ever before: boulle and brioche, as well as bagels, focaccia, ciabatta, French bread and the familiar country white slices.