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Posted at 11:45AM, 13 August 2010 by Carol Wilson - Food writer

When the French Poilâne loaf hit the UK a few years ago, it was the seemingly astronomical price of £10. Fortunately I discovered that I could buy a half or just a quarter of a loaf and I was duly impressed by its wonderful flavour and texture.

Made with top quality flour, Guérande sea salt and a sourdough starter, (a portion of dough from the previous day's batch that has begun the fermentation process instigated by airborne yeasts) the bread is baked in a wood-fired oven. Breads made in this way are denser than those made with added yeast and also take longer to rise, during which time complex flavours develop, plus the distinctive sour tang. It quickly became a talking point at all the best dinner parties.

Now Poilâne has a British rival - the even more expensive Shepherds Loaf, which, like the Poilâne loaf, weighs a hefty 2kg and takes two days to make by hand. Made in the Cotswolds with organic Somerset spelt flour, Cotswolds spring water and Cornish sea salt to an old family recipe (which involves a complicated double rising) it's also baked in a wood-fired oven.

They have much more flavour and far better texture than your average supermarket loaf

Are these pricey loaves worth the cost? I would say so - for a special occasion. They have much more flavour and far better texture than your average supermarket loaf - and are streets ahead of the standard white sliced, which pales into insignificance alongside these traditional breads.

Of course it's possible to buy terrific rustic sourdough bread for much less, due to the current revival of genuinely artisan breads. I buy a much smaller loaf from a local baker for around £3 and it's delicious. This is bread made with skill, love and care, shaped by hand and given time to ferment.

The Real Bread Campaign is a lobbying group aiming to steer us away from industrially produced bread, which is not fermented, nor made from wholly natural ingredients and weirdly is completely untouched by human hand during the whole process! What's more, a loophole in labelling laws means not all additives and processing agents need to be listed on the packaging.

'Real' bread is made using just flour, salt, water and leavening agent. There are no additives such as emulslifiers and sugars, hardened fat or mould-delaying chemicals. Don't be fooled by the 'just baked' aroma that wafts temptingly through many supermarkets; The Real Bread Campaign alerted us to the fact that the bread might not be as natural as it smells. The report pointed the finger at supermarkets for baking loaves at low temperatures, chilling or freezing them and then baking them again to soften the crumb and make the crusts crisper.

Would you pay more for 'real' bread?

Comments

jenny

2010-08-13 14:44:58.612529
jenny

the most wonderful artisan bakery (mayfield farm) has just opened up 10 minutes away from me. I've been there at least once a week. I'd happily pay Â£1.40 extra to even a supermarkets own baked bread for something i had seen the baker making (ok maybe not that indiviual loaf). Plus i can indulge in a piece of bread pudding (if he's had any bread left over) at the same time! There is so much more choice in flavours too. Today i could have had Carrot and coriander bread - to go with the carrot and coriander soup we're having tonight! but i thought that was a bit of an over load with the flavours.

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julie

2010-08-15 07:56:14.872658
julie

i tried some pecan and raisin bread awhile back no added extra`s!! it was beautiful i must say but at Â£3,49 a small loaf sorry but too pricey!!

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amn

2010-08-16 09:06:03.274642
amn

once a week we buy 2 loaves of artisan Arbutus sourdough bread. cost about 6 euro. cut into halves and frozen till needed, Tastes great, fantastic with cheese and makes the best toast. Never any thrown out as any rare left overs make breadcrumbs. Family of 5 ( only one teenager though and v good breadknife for cutting thin slices).

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Lisa

2010-08-17 11:53:58.134065
Lisa

all this emulsified bread gives me belly ache so I tend to avoid it claiming that its an allergy to wheat yet when I ate good fresh bread in Belgium I was fine - I would be willing to pay the money for good bread as it is obviously healthier

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Lisa

2010-08-17 11:56:43.963316
Lisa

wooow maybe not Â£21 for the shepherds bread though - I think I would rather buy a handbag thanks

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tobyteabag

2010-08-17 13:59:22.62713
tobyteabag

When we moved here to Belgium, I was amazed by people's bread addiction, having never really enjoyed bread in the UK. However, now I understand - our local artisanal baker ( who opens every morning with fresh baked breads, croissants and cakes) has shown me what real hand made bread is about, and like the previous contributor I get next to no stomach ache here with his products. So, would I pay more for decent bread - the answer is yes, and I'm just off to the baker's for some rather nice walnut bread for tea!

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smitty

2010-08-17 14:20:00.984552
smitty

Our last remaining baker shut up shop recently so Tesco and Sainsburys are the only source of bread now. I've invested in a bread machine and make my own. Its great!

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Paul

2010-08-17 23:12:57.607029
Paul

Frankly a lot of the artisan bread, whilst very good is stupidly over-priced. I've got my breadmaker and its more than suitable for everyday use. Perhaps I'm a bit common, but this blog is a little "up itself"?

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Mrs Figg

2010-08-18 20:04:19.813121
Mrs Figg

At this very moment I am trying to make my own sourdough loaf. It is an extremely long winded process and has taken me nearly a week to get to the point of having a "sponge" (the stage before actually making the bread!) so I think the price is probably justified if you consider the time it all takes! Wish me luck with mine, I will be leaving it for its first rise overnight, then the second during the day tomorrow, hoping to bake it about this time tomorrow night!

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Hawthorn Baker

2010-08-24 10:12:23.633316
Hawthorn Baker

Mrs Figg should keep a small amount of dough from the finished product, keep it covered in the refrigerator and then use it as a starter for her next sourdough loaf. She will find that the 'sour' taste gets stronger over a period if she continues this process every time she makes a loaf.

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Colette

2010-08-26 15:09:51.868158
Colette

We grew up in our house with mum making fresh brown and white soda bread twice or three times a week and on special occasions fruit soda bread including sultanas - never had processed bread until we were in our teens. The smell of the baking was fantastic and all my friends used to make me bring a loaf or two whenever we went away for a weekend - you can't beat home made, genuine bread. I really miss it.

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SuperChunk

2010-08-30 19:36:05.844048
SuperChunk

Bread is quite easy to make even by hand, and I always start it off in the food processor which gets the messy bit done for you. Plus its cheap!

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Nat

2010-09-05 15:35:17.913118
Nat

I would pay more for real bread, but only in an emergency! If I have to buy a loaf for one reason or another, it may as well be a good tasty one. I make bread everyday, by hand or by bread machine, so the scenario of going out and buying a loaf is a rare occasion.

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Ch0pper

2010-09-10 17:53:07.707345
Ch0pper

I agree with Paul - artisan bread is often very pricey, esp for a family with kids. Homemade bread is a weekend treat but during the week I'm afraid it's just ordainary mass produced sliced stuff. We all grew up on it and seem to have survived unscathed.

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