The basic building blocks of great bread are simple -- flour, yeast, salt and water. Artisan products contain these and sometimes other pure ingredients like cheese, eggs, fruit or nuts. The key here, they’re ingredients you recognize and can pronounce. If the label lists items not found in the average kitchen cupboard, you’re not buying true artisan quality -- unless, of course, you keep exthoxylated mono and diglycerides right on top of your stove, but we doubt it. Artisan baking relies on slow, natural processes to transform simple ingredients into remarkably flavorful loaves -- not dough conditioners, flavor enhancers and chemical preservatives. Such additives may make bread production faster and less costly, but often at the expense of the bread's taste and eating quality.
Complicated ingredients don’t make great bread, the skill and craftsmanship that go into it do. We invest tremendous time and effort to bring you the honest, simple breads that deliver the satisfaction you should expect from this most fundamental of foods.
© 2000 Cargill Foods, Progressive Baker, All Rights Reserve
Storage - Because MacKenzies' breads are made with fine natural ingredients -- and no added preservatives, they will not "keep" in the same way you might expect from breads with additives. Breads consumed within 2 days can be held on your counter, but take into consideration the heat and humidity of the room. For a longer shelf life (5-7 days), refrigerate breads. If you want to keep the bread even longer, we suggest you split the loaf, freeze half and refrigerate half. (Half loaves are available for sale, too.) To freeze, wrap the bread in plastic. To use, let it thaw completely inside the plastic wrap. This will allow moisture to return to the bread.
To reheat hearth-baked breads, remove the plastic and put the bread in a 350° oven for about 10-12 minutes.