A.K.A

French bread

What is it?

Probably one of the most identifiable types of artisan bread, the baguette is a traditional French food staple. Made from simple dough of starter, yeast, flour and water, baguettes are characteristically long and slender loaves with slits across the top to ensure that the gases form and distribute properly during the baking process.

How to choose:

Look for a loaf with a caramel-colored, crisp, crackly and firm crust with a rich, yeasty and toasty aroma and a cream-colored interior that is studded with irregular air holes.

How to store:

Keep leftover bread in gallon-size zip-top freezer bags at room temperature for up to two days. This way, the crumb stays fresh longer; the crust will soften, but it will quickly crisp up again if toasted or heated in a warm oven. To freeze bread, wrap it in foil and put it in zip-top bags. It will keep for up to a month.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Ricotta and Pea Toasts with Crushed Coriander and Mint

  I call this pea toast 2.0 because the ground coriander adds toasty, floral notes to the classic combination of creamy cheese and burst-in-your-mouth peas. Enjoy the peas and ricotta on…

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  Recipe

  Broccolini and Burrata Crostini

  Tender broccolini meets mellow, creamy burrata in this easy hors d'oeuvre.

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  Recipe

  Rainbow Chard Parmesan Crisp

  Fried or poached eggs also go nicely with this dish; it’s a great side for a spring brunch.

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  Recipe

  Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork with Apricot-Sage Stuffing and Bourbon-Mustard Glaze

  Prosciutto makes a fantastic wrap, holding the bread stuffing in place and crisping up during roasting. If it’s a bit on the fatty side, the fat will melt away, revealing…

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  Recipe

  Turkey, Escarole, and White Bean Soup with Cheesy Croutons

  A cross between white bean soup and French onion soup, a bowl makes a hearty meal.

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  Recipe

  Linguine with Fire-Roasted Romesco Sauce

  Grilling the peppers and tomatoes for classic romesco sauce adds extra smoky flavor. Serve the pasta on its own or with grilled steak or shrimp.

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  Recipe

  Sake-Steamed Mussels

  For a change from white wine-steamed mussels, make sake the base of an Asian-inspired broth. Serve with crusty or toasted bread to mop up the sauce.

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  Recipe

  Roasted Green Bean Panzanella Salad

  Roasted green beans make this summery salad work well in colder months. On its own, it makes a great vegetarian main dish, but it also serves as a hearty side…

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  Recipe

  Crab Toasts with Smashed Avocado and Bloody Mary Aïoli

  “I really love seafood as a starter, and these crostini are great to nibble on,” says chef Luke Thomas. Rich but also light-feeling, they make a perfect small bite before…

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  Recipe

  Quail Egg-in-a-Hole

  Egg-in-a-hole is usually made by frying a chicken egg in a slice of bread, but these little guys are baked, all 12 in one batch. They’re a great appetizer or…