Ingredient
Bread
A loaf, when the recipe or the pantry says only "bread": the generic entry for every bread that is sliced, torn or toasted. Sourdough, a white sandwich loaf, baguette, pitta, naan, brioche and burger buns each have their own page and point here as varieties, so a pantry that holds bread matches a recipe written for any of them.
- Sourcing
- A bakery loaf with a proper crust lasts and toasts better than a supermarket sliced one, which is softer and sweeter. For croutons, panzanella or bread sauce, stale is an advantage: ask for yesterday's.
- Varieties
- Sourdough, White sandwich loaf, Baguette, Pitta, Naan, Brioche, Burger bun
- Quality cues
- A crust that crackles when squeezed and a crumb that springs back. No sour, alcoholic smell beyond what a sourdough should have, and no green or black mould, which runs further into the loaf than it shows.
- Substitutions
- Flour tortilla, Oatcakes
- Storage
- In a paper bag or bread bin at room temperature; a plastic bag softens the crust, and the fridge stales it faster than the counter. Freeze sliced so single pieces can go straight into the toaster.
- Shelf life
- 2–3 days at room temperature; 3 months frozen
Nutrition
Per 100 g
- Calories
- 272 kcal
- Protein
- 10.8 g
- Fat
- 2.4 g
- Carbs
- 51.9 g
- Fibre
- 2.2 g
- Sugars
- 4.6 g
- Sodium
- 602 mg
From USDA FoodData Central (#172675). Raw, edible portion.