Would you pay more for less bread?
May 4, 2002 7:33 PM   Subscribe

Would you pay more for less bread? I guess the Dead Kennedys were right.
posted by zztzed (32 comments total)
 
As a kid, I liked crusts, but nowadays I cut three of them off. However, I don't like this idea because they're removing the nice top crust! Sure, the crust at the bottom is nasty, but the top crust is darker and thinner and tastes nice.

Of course, if bread is cooked well (i.e. not mass produced pre-cut stuff) the crust is delicious.
posted by wackybrit at 8:14 PM on May 4, 2002


I used to peel crusts off myself, roll them into little swiss-cake type rolls (no filling, just crust), and eat just that.

The interesting thing about this is that it comes out as weirdly efficient (except for the additional charge, I think), since they actually use the crusts for something. I doubt moms do that.
posted by claxton6 at 8:43 PM on May 4, 2002


What this all means is that somewhere in America there's a buncha people who are going to become professional crust-cutter-offers. Talk about your bad part time jobs, man..
posted by jonmc at 8:46 PM on May 4, 2002


Actually, jonmc, according to the article they have an automatic decrusting machine. They might have people operating those machines, but I don't think that being a decrusting machine operator would be as bad as being a professional decruster.
posted by zztzed at 8:54 PM on May 4, 2002


But isn't the crust where all the nutrition is? Or should I be over in that "strange childhood beliefs" thread?
posted by bonheur at 8:55 PM on May 4, 2002


zzted- I worked in the main bread factory of this outfit for two years. One day the machine that shook oatmeal onto the seven-grain bread stopped shaking, so they sent me over with a broom-handle to smack it every ten seconds for about three hours. Too this day the sight of their bread gives me seizures. So if that machine breaks down , rest assured they will call out an army of people with kitchen knives if they have to.
posted by jonmc at 9:01 PM on May 4, 2002


at least the leftover crusts are used for croutons instead of being tossed. Sad excuse for bread though, especially when so many good multi grain, or olive or pecan loaf type options are available...
posted by mdn at 9:19 PM on May 4, 2002


If there's a market for it, more power to them.
posted by rushmc at 9:37 PM on May 4, 2002


What's next, Muffin Tops?
posted by Mack Twain at 10:00 PM on May 4, 2002


Crustless bread has existed for many years in Italy - the very big, very thin, rectangular slices are ideal for making tramezzini, the sandwiches served in cafés and, famously (and very expensively) at Harry's Bar in Venice.

We always have a couple of packs of the Roberto brand in our larder. The packages last for a whole month(can't be very healthy...)and the slices make the most delicious thin, toasted sandwiches. They're also ideal for making finger sandwiches(just buttered, cucumber, salmon)as each long slice can be easily cut into ten separate units.

Mmmm...
posted by MiguelCardoso at 10:32 PM on May 4, 2002


The crust is the best part. IronKids, indeed.

> But isn't the crust where all the nutrition is? Or should I
> be over in that "strange childhood beliefs" thread?

Yes. Strange childhood beliefs. The dough there is the same as in the rest of the bread, only it's burned. If anything, that's where all the carcinogens are.

But there is no good bread in America.
posted by pracowity at 10:42 PM on May 4, 2002


I don't understand -- why would someone cut the crust off their bread? Do people actually do that? I mean, enough that there's a market for selling them bread without crust?
posted by kindall at 10:48 PM on May 4, 2002


Crustless bread has been available in Japan for years, also. I tried it once as a child and couldn't shake the feeling I had nothing to hold onto my sandwich with.
posted by Soliloquy at 10:56 PM on May 4, 2002


I don't understand -- why would someone cut the crust off their bread? Do people actually do that? I mean, enough that there's a market for selling them bread without crust?

some members of my family like(d) the crust cut off their sammiches.
posted by moz at 11:47 PM on May 4, 2002


I mean, enough that there's a market for selling them bread without crust?

Sometimes it's not a question of whether there is already enough of a market for them. Rather, it's whether enough of a market can be created for them.
posted by gluechunk at 12:14 AM on May 5, 2002


Aren't you, in essence, just buying a large, one-use sponge with this?

This technology is wasted on bread.
How'z `bout finding a way to decrust Billy Bob Thorton, then worry about making yet another bread product nobody needs.
posted by dong_resin at 2:04 AM on May 5, 2002


I used to peel crusts off myself...

I'd like to interject ewwwwww at this point. That is all.
posted by gleemax at 2:38 AM on May 5, 2002


Wow, you people are strange. I would buy just the crusts. It follows that I should work for Sara Lee. Anyone have the lowdown on Paris, Texas?
posted by Gaz at 2:47 AM on May 5, 2002


I bake my own bread, with flour ground here. The crust is liberally imbedded with toasted sesame seeds. Only the dentally challanged or would trim my crusts.
posted by ceiriog at 3:53 AM on May 5, 2002


I'm with you Gaz. Beware the Anti-Crust!!!
posted by Tarrama at 4:09 AM on May 5, 2002


What's next, Muffin Tops?

Nah, pudding skins.
posted by adampsyche at 6:16 AM on May 5, 2002


jonmc - I used to be a clerk at Pepperidge Farm Thrift Stores -- Old Bread For Old People.

Of course, the cookies were much older than the bread.
posted by NortonDC at 7:44 AM on May 5, 2002


Of course this only applies to white bread. Wheat bread, and other such things, have high quality crust, very soft normally for sandwich bread. Or maybe I should be more specific. It applies to mass-market, targeted towards kids white bread. Ever pick up a loaf of Brownberry white bread? You'd be happy to eat the crust on that stuff. By the time you buy this crustless bread, the parents could have bought a good loaf of bread at their local bakery.
posted by benjh at 8:10 AM on May 5, 2002


can't the youth of today use their super-dextrous thumbs to de-crust their bread?
anyhoo, as it is a sara lee product it is off my shopping list indefinitely.
mr dong, as ever, word!
posted by asok at 8:17 AM on May 5, 2002


I was kind of hoping this would be a link to a company who decided to market a half-loaf of bread. I usually can't eat an entire loaf of bread before it gets all moldy.

There's a giant untapped market for food portions designed for the single person.
posted by jodic at 8:55 AM on May 5, 2002


There's a giant untapped market for food portions designed for the single person.

I don't think it's untapped - (I mean, it's definitely not untapped for general "food portions" - but even specifically for bread...) There are those little shelves of one brand in a lot of convenience stores, that sell those 8 slices of bread for $1.59 or whatever it is - can't find a link because the brand name is something like "baker's" so you can imagine how useful a search would be. Most bakers have various sized loafs anyway - a small boule is good for one.

Where do you live? It's probably regional as groceries in New York seem to be specifically geared towards one person meals :)
posted by mdn at 9:23 AM on May 5, 2002


I'm in Minnesota. Home of hearty portions, hotdish, and econosized everything.
posted by jodic at 9:33 AM on May 5, 2002


I grew up in a small town in Ohio where my father was a well known carpenter. He used to do work for barter, often taking the strangest things in trade (to my mother's anger and disgust) among them taxidermy services, wild game, moonshine and yes, bread. What was probably the most incredible home-baked bread on the planet...would my brother and I eat it? No way. We insisted on store-bought white bread, usually with the crusts cut off or eaten around. If I could only get back the portion of my childhood where Mrs. Rock would knock on the door on a rainy Saturday night and hand us a bag with 3 or 4 loaves of heavenly home-baked bread still hot from the oven. Pass the strawberry jam please.
posted by m@ at 11:30 AM on May 5, 2002


People buy bread?

I'd have thought the invention of the Bread Machine would have decimated store-bought.

I've got a top-end Zojirushi that I snagged at a pawn shop for giveaway prices. Love that machine. Love my bread. Mmmm.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:44 PM on May 5, 2002


jodic, if you're single, you have lots of extra room in your refrigerator. Put the bread there.
posted by dhartung at 3:26 PM on May 5, 2002


Yeah, I bake most of the bread consumed in our house. I really like doing it and goodness, the house smells so good on bread day. :)

I think because I spent some formative time in France where the gods of baking must live, I can't really imagine eating packaged white bread on purpose. Bleh...the stuff is like glue...yuck. (But, ya know, I eat some stuff that I'm sure would gross out other people, so who am I to judge?)

As to eating the crusts, it's a mood thing for me...and how wistful the dog can make herself look when she stares at my sandwich. :)
posted by dejah420 at 9:54 PM on May 5, 2002


What's next, Muffin Tops?
posted by Mack Twain at 10:00 PM PST on May 4


actually, they've been around longer, as i recently have found out. . .

. . . Muffin Tops - Banana Nut, Chocolate Chip, Raisin Bran
Low Fat: Blueberry, Apple Cinnamon and Pumpkin

posted by Dom at 9:03 AM on May 6, 2002


« Older Going to Hell?   |   TiPaint Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments