GOOD THINGS TO KNOW

Your baguette has a dark crust – is it whole wheat?

No, the baguettes are made from unbleached white wheat bread flour.

Why is the crust so dark?

The long fermentation process allows enzymes in the grain to break out natural sugars. These sugars caramelize in the oven, giving the crust a rustic, reddish brown color typical of European breads.

How long will your bread keep?

Baguettes and Ciabattas stay fresh 2 days in paper bags, longer in plastic. Baguettes and Ciabattas can be reheated at 350F. Multigrain and sandwich loaves stay fresh 5-7 days without refrigeration in the plastic bags they are packaged in.

Should your bread be refrigerated?

Refrigeration is not recommended, as it tends to dry out bread made without preservatives and stabilizers. If the bread will not be consumed within 2-5 days, it is recommended to freeze the unused portion.

Can your bread be frozen?

Yes. Baguettes and Ciabattas should be wrapped in aluminum foil. All other breads should be double wrapped in plastic, i.e. first in plastic wrap, then in a zipper freezer bag. Loaves may also be pre-sliced, slices wrapped in fold-over baggies and stored in a zippered freezer bag for easy portion removal.

How should I thaw and/or reheat your bread?

Plastic wrapped breads are best left wrapped and thawed at room temperature. Aluminum foil wrapped breads should be placed frozen (leave wrapped!) in an oven preheated to 350F (10” for baguettes, 15” for Ciabattas).? Turn oven off, unwrap loaf, leave on rack with door closed 5 minutes to crisp crust.

Why are your loaves not sliced?

Unsliced bread stays fresh longer.

How should I slice a Ciabatta?

Ciabattas may be sliced vertically, ? inch thick. They may also be sliced in 4 equal pieces, and then sliced horizontally for sandwiches or Panini. One may also slice the entire loaf horizontally and garnish the open faced halves with your favorite pizza toppings before baking again at 400F. (see Recipes)

Do your breads have nuts in them?

No. Our production completely avoids the use of any tree nuts or peanuts.

Does your 5-Seasons bread have beer or alcohol in it?

No, it is made with spent beer grains.

What are spent beer grains?

Spent beer grains are simply cooked, softened grains, e.g. malted barley, hops, wheat, rice, etc. left over from brewing beer. The “spent” grains add wonderful flavor and aroma to the bread, as well as fiber and minerals left in the bran.

Do spent beer grains have alcohol in them?

No. The grains are boiled in water to make the grain brew which is drained off and cooled prior to fermentation. The grains are left behind in the copper brewing kettles you see in breweries such as 5 Seasons. Yeast ferments the sugars and starches in the grain brew, making alcohol and carbon dioxide as by-products. This is similar to the yeast fermentation in bread dough, whereby the carbon dioxide causes the dough to rise. Germans sometimes refer to beer as “fluessiges Brot”, i.e. liquid bread.

What is pumpernickel?

Pumpernickel is whole grain rye. One could call it “whole rye” analog whole wheat.

I usually don’t like rye bread – why is your pumpernickel so good?

Most people unknowingly associate rye breads with the aroma and taste of caraway seeds. Folks that don’t like rye bread usually don’t like caraway. My German pumpernickel is made without caraway.

What is spelt?

Spelt is an ancient form of wheat.