From a philosophical point of view, the notion of "quality" has formed a focus since the days of Aristotle. He saw quality as tied to the very nature of an object. Other thinkers through the years more prone to subjectivity brought relative
It has never been a better time to be in artisan baking. We are living in a time of heirloom wheat rediscovery and renewed appreciation for ancient grains.
Interest in "slower" food and deeper connections to food sources has brought heirloom tomatoes, heritage breeds of livestock, and ancient and heirloom grains to the fore.
When it comes to pizza, consumers aren't lukewarm: Those who like it are committed to their favorite convenient meal. According to Mintel's latest U.S. pizza market report, more than one-third of consumers who purchase frozen pizza from their local grocery store do so two or three times a month or more.
The Essential Baking Co. also now reaches a national audience with its Take & Bake line of artisan sourdough batards and baguettes, which get a notable 190-day ambient shelf life thanks to modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP).
Consumers are reading labels more, looking for products that are nutritious, with ingredients that are easy to understand and that work with their family's budget. While there's no official definition of "clean label," consumers and the snack and bakery industry have their own definition in mind.
Baking bread is a balancing act, and any change in ingredients and technique can shift the outcome of a loaf in ways that affect flavor, volume and structure.
Passion underpins the dedication to invest the time and resources required to bake bread with unmistakable Old World artisan flavor, appearance and texture. And strong business sense leads such bakers to judiciously capitalize on the technological tools available to help bring those truly artisan breads to a wide customer base without compromising craftsmanship.
As the artisan bread movement continues to gain momentum across the U.S., one of its most-ancient forms—sourdough—is garnering more-widespread attention.