Nooks And Crannies

Breakfast, Tuesday November 16: seared lamb chop; mixed fruit (apple, pineapple, dates, pecans); pumpkin bread; English muffin.

I find it a little amusing how the average American (whatever that means) wants bread that has a soft and very light crust with a crumb that is uniform and extremely soft, yet I recall an advertising campaign for a brand of English muffins that touted the "nooks and crannies." Now I understand that is so one can load up with more butter, but the demand doesn't go the other way. Hand most Americans a roll or loaf with a similar crumb and they would scoff.

Don't believe me? Sure there is an "artisan" bread section in most grocers. Sales there paltry compared to the "regular" bread aisle. Not only that but consider that artisan bread itself. My favorite example is the bagel. Bagels should be firm chewy and have an almost leathery crust. Most grocery bagels are kaiser rolls with a hole in the middle. I like to call them bageloids.