HYDERABAD: There is something about artisanal bread that we all seem to love. Bread is such a symbol of our urban culture that a visit to a boulangerie and queueing up for fresh baguettes and sourdough has become a norm. The popularity of these artisanal breads can only be credited to lifestyle shifts of health-conscious global travellers and mindful eating habits.
But what exactly is artisan bread? There has been a lot of debate on what constitutes and defines it. While it is tough to come up with an umbrella term to explain, the way I see it, artisan bread is the bread you want to eat. It is the bread that should be enjoyed all on its own -- butter or anything else would just get in the way. With every bite, you taste the work that went into making the bread. You realise that each loaf is enveloped in pride and workmanship.
In Hyderabad, there is certainly more space for artisanal breads to shine and make its presence felt, with swelling trend of European style patisseries, cafes and specialty organic shops. With more and more bread snobs getting down to kneading, there is a sound ecosystem cropping up both online and offline to inculcate a healthier bread culture.
Arundati Rao of Escapades Culinary Studio is one of the most popular bakers, who conducts frequent bread-baking workshops. Those in it for the passion know there is so much joy in the process. Nisha Durr -- a self-taught baker, whose Instagram feed is lined with beautiful multi-millet, multi-seed loaves and other interesting bakes -- loves to experiment with a range of breads and believes bread-making is a deeply meditative process.
On the other hand, many commercial companies have already resorted to parbaking, thereby taking the artisan out of the artisanal. Here’s some of the characteristics you should be looking for the next time you decide to order an artisan bread.
Crust
A bread without a nice, crispy crust isn’t a bread that’s worth your time. Artisan bread should have a variety of hues in its crust, ranging from golden brown to a light golden colour. This ensures you’ll have the best tasting experience.
Air Pockets
Wheat flour is commonly used to make bread because it holds two gluten-forming proteins, but some bakers over-work their dough and end up with a bread that’s far too dense. What you should be looking for in fresh bread is a variety of bubble sizes.
Flavour
If a bread bakery claims to make a good flavoured bread, you should be able to smell that flavour before you even take a bite. Any decent bread should have a good flavour; it should not taste like eating air!
Finish
While a loaf of bread doesn’t have to look gorgeous to be tasty, a pretty bread certainly makes eating all the more enticing. A good finish or glaze, especially on sweet breads, should be an indicator of quality.
(Vishal Fernandes is a profound business traveller and a widely recognised luxury lifestyle blogger)