Bread from the Source: What is Your Jam?

Avocado toast demands a quality bread

With all the attention given to gluten free products, it seems almost old-fashioned to think of artisan bread. But while commercial loaves often have little reason to be part of a diet, high quality bread made with whole grains and heirloom wheat surely deserve their place at the table.

I have a sourdough starter that has been bubbling away in my refrigerator for six or seven years, but not everyone has the time or the inclination to bake bread. But my bread guru, La Brea Bakery (I used their recipe for sourdough starter, from organic grapes, and I bake all my breads based on their cookbook) just introduced a Reserve line of artisan breads, made from single origin heirloom grains.

La Brea calls this initiative Wheat with a Purpose and partners with Wheat Montana, a 3^rd generation farm in Montana, to produce this high quality bread.

The bread is sold nationally, in regular supermarkets, not just gourmet food shops.

If you go to the website, you can find out when the wheat was planted and harvested, and find wine and cheese pairings. The Fortuna wheat loaf goes well with goat cheese and non-vintage champagne.

The hole trinity: sourdough starter, bread dough and the La Brea Bakery cookbook

But you know what? It also paired well with natural peanut butter and sparkling water. Or a nice jam.