I went to the Première Fournée media event last week where I learned the tricks of the trade of artisanal bread making. After trying some steps and seeing how much manual labor it involves, I gain a deeper appreciation of the traditional baker’s job. We learned the many steps required to make a classic baguette bread and how modify the cooking process or adding one ingredient allows you to create another bread variety. It was very interesting but I will leave bread making to the experts.
The reason for the event was to present Weston’s new line of artisanal breads. The main difference with the bread that you buy at your local bakery is that Weston allows time for a longer fermentation process. They do this to produce a bread with a 7 to 9-day life-shelf. Due to the longer fermentation, the Première Fournée’s breads taste more sour than your local bakery shop bread. And since you get a sliced bread in a plastic bag, the crust is moister. For that reason, I would not serve the Première Fournée bread with my cheese platter. But Première Fournée is a healthier alternative to commercial bread for toasts and everyday sandwiches.
Except for the wheat and multi-grains breads that has honey, none of the bread has sugar, preservatives or artificial flavors. It is worth noting that a bread manufacturer responded to consumer demands for real food and this is why I am taking the time to write about them. If you are a mom looking to serve a more natural bread that will last a week, give it a try.
Première Fournée is scheduled to hit the stores around September 15th, 2011.
SOURCING:
+ Première Fournée by Weston
