If any old-timers (oppure italiani, supponendo che sia possibible che ci si troveva italiani sul questo sito) can help me out here, I'm on a quest for the origins of what many Americans call "Italian bread" - think Wonderbread. Like the cappuccino, it must have started out as a genuine Italian drink, then been changed bit by bit until it became a much fluffier, less healthy version of what it was. And if you go back in time only a few decades to what I guess you could say were "old-school bakeries", there were still pretty high-quality breads in this style that weren't pullman (sandwich) loaves. The original bread they were based on is eluding me. There seems to be only one distinct universal feature to clue us in; a single slit all the way down the loaf, creating the "grin" or bloom. Can anyone think of an Italian loaf with this slit, or imagine what the first "Italian" loaves sold in America would have been based off of?
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Why not just look for traditional Italian breads still baked in Italy?
and many more...
I've looked into Italian breads a lot. Been to Italy three times or more, been learning more and more about Italian cuisine for almost 15 years. I'm looking for a more specific answer because, like I said, the slit down the middle of so-called "Italian bread" at the grocery stores almost seems to have been based off of a certain loaf or technique.
Judging from this timeline, "Italian bread" as we know it today, presliced and plastic packaged, appeared in 1960, at least, in that particular bakery, and it evolved from "long Vienna bread".
1930
1960
Brilliant idea, looking up the company. Much as I hate typical modern grocery sandwich bread I have to say this is the coolest "company-history" page ever. . . .
I think you're onto something with the photos that do almost look like a pullman loaf with a slit down it! Never would have occured to me that by "Italian bread" the producers were not referring to Italian bread but to "bread made by Italians". In America! Super interesting historical point when a food travels across the ocean with poor immigrants and becomes a whole different thing in that new country.
Thanks a lot!
Back in the 1960's I don't recall grocery store "Italian bread" like we have today. Although we sometimes eat it, it is really dreadful and barely worthy of being called "Italian".
There were two kinds of crusty bread we would buy in the local bakery: Italian bread, a rustic loaf with sesame seeds, and Vienna bread, a similar rustic loaf with no seeds. Today, there are many varieties of very good "Italian breads" in our markets, some with the La Brea Bakery name and others that are store baked.
Although I believe in free speech, I believe certain misnomers in the realm of food sales would fall into the realm of "selling a mislabeled product" or in other words, "grifting" or "conning". . . . ;P
Haven't heard of La Brea, thanks for sharing. Really cool to hear your memories from the 60s, I love talking to folks your age and hearing your memories, please keep sharing them with the world boldly. :)
While I can’t upload photos of it since the files of the photos on my phone are too large, look up Oakwood Bakery-Vienna Bread. My Nonna used to buy this bread and it’s the only pre-sliced American bread I like since other brands have more junk ingredients than just cottonseed and soybean oil and/or taste so sweet that they should be considered dessert breads (like Aunt Millie’s “Italian” version of Wonderbread).
The bakery is located at 585 South Waring St. Detroit Michigan and they’ve been around since 1912. The loaves have a fresh, indescribable bread scent that doesn’t smell highly refined like typical supermarket bread and isn’t sweet despite having sugar in the list of ingredients (it has 0 grams) and it toasts to a crispy golden perfection.
Doesn't really answer my question but it's very fun to hear about your awesome Nonna, I love the memories and hope you keep sharing them with others. I haven't seen the Oakwood brand in person, I'll have to keep an eye out for it. Thanks!
The new platform is much better at reducing photos to fit. If you have not tried uploading photos since the migration you should try. I would love to see the photos. Italian bakery bread is near to my heart. It would be a good test for your own information as well.
Kind regards
Will F.