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The Invention of Sliced Bread

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Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#11

Post by pmontra »

camillomiller wrote: post #9

Just to add some perspective from the outside world (I.e. Not America). In Italy sliced bread never really took over common bread. Yes we make toasts, and yes, we have sliced bread, but that's usually some industrial, over-processed bread loaf that you'll never find fresh at a bakery. Here in Germany, were I live now, it's a mix. Common bread everywhere, but you can slice your own loaf at the supermarket with a terri…

Well, it's the different form factor. Soft and brick-sized bread doesn't belong to the Italian tradition. Slicing what we have it's not that difficult and in most cases there is no need to slice anything. We just break it with bare hands and have it.

North Americans can check these pictures to get an idea https://www.google.com/search?q=pane&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=i... Even the form factors that require slicing are quite small and not particularly soft. Slicing them is quick and easy.

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#12

Post by aikah »

camillomiller wrote: post #9

Just to add some perspective from the outside world (I.e. Not America). In Italy sliced bread never really took over common bread. Yes we make toasts, and yes, we have sliced bread, but that's usually some industrial, over-processed bread loaf that you'll never find fresh at a bakery. Here in Germany, were I live now, it's a mix. Common bread everywhere, but you can slice your own loaf at the supermarket with a terri…

French here, sliced bread is like "the worst thing ever".And dont get me started on industrial bread.If your bread isnt like less than 30 min fresh,hot from the oven, you shouldnt eat it.And by the way,we call sliced bread "english bread".

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#13

Post by brc »

I've become a convert to home baking with a bread machine, and the loss of easy slicing is one if the biggest downsides. The purchase of a slicing guide and electric knife has offset this somewhat, but it's still easy to get wrong. What I'd like is a compact home bread slicing machine.

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#14

Post by probably_wrong »

camillomiller wrote: post #9

Just to add some perspective from the outside world (I.e. Not America). In Italy sliced bread never really took over common bread. Yes we make toasts, and yes, we have sliced bread, but that's usually some industrial, over-processed bread loaf that you'll never find fresh at a bakery. Here in Germany, were I live now, it's a mix. Common bread everywhere, but you can slice your own loaf at the supermarket with a terri…

> you can slice your own loaf at the supermarket with a terrific automated spring-loaded circular saw machine that's very cool to operate

sigh... You cannot throw a statement like that without a Youtube link!

For those interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JSvmCAwQEE

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#15

Post by kgabis »

aikah wrote: post #12
camillomiller wrote: post #9

Just to add some perspective from the outside world (I.e. Not America). In Italy sliced bread never really took over common bread. Yes we make toasts, and yes, we have sliced bread, but that's usually some industrial, over-processed bread loaf that you'll never find fresh at a bakery. Here in Germany, were I live now, it's a mix. Common bread everywhere, but you can slice your own loaf at the supermarket with a terri…

French here, sliced bread is like "the worst thing ever".And dont get me started on industrial bread.If your bread isnt like less than 30 min fresh,hot from the oven, you shouldnt eat it.And by the way,we call sliced bread "english bread".

Depends on what kind of bread you're talking about. A good sourdough will last a week and still taste great.

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#16

Post by tinco »

aikah wrote: post #12
camillomiller wrote: post #9

Just to add some perspective from the outside world (I.e. Not America). In Italy sliced bread never really took over common bread. Yes we make toasts, and yes, we have sliced bread, but that's usually some industrial, over-processed bread loaf that you'll never find fresh at a bakery. Here in Germany, were I live now, it's a mix. Common bread everywhere, but you can slice your own loaf at the supermarket with a terri…

French here, sliced bread is like "the worst thing ever".And dont get me started on industrial bread.If your bread isnt like less than 30 min fresh,hot from the oven, you shouldnt eat it.And by the way,we call sliced bread "english bread".

Dutch-near-German-border here. I think your opinion stems from the quality of industrial bread in France. If you look in the Netherlands you'll find a wide variety of very tasty pre-sliced industrial bread, always fresh baked in the morning.

That being said, I always buy unsliced artisan German bread from my local baker who imports it from across the border.

And for fun, let's fan the flames a bit. You can't compare the simple french baguette to the rich flavour of artisan German bread, simply no contest ;)

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#17

Post by Al-Khwarizmi »

camillomiller wrote: post #9

Just to add some perspective from the outside world (I.e. Not America). In Italy sliced bread never really took over common bread. Yes we make toasts, and yes, we have sliced bread, but that's usually some industrial, over-processed bread loaf that you'll never find fresh at a bakery. Here in Germany, were I live now, it's a mix. Common bread everywhere, but you can slice your own loaf at the supermarket with a terri…

Yeah, in Spain sliced bread is not very popular either. Some people use it for breakfast toast. And it is used to make sandwiches. Curiously, we use the word "sandwich" for a sandwich made with sliced bread, and the Spanish word "bocadillo" for a sandwich made with traditional bread. Bocadillos are widely considered superior, with sandwiches used for a cheaper, quick snack, or for easier portability. No one would make a sandwich with things that are appreciated and considered good food (like serrano ham, tomato with olive oil, tortilla, a good cheese, or calamari), they make bocadillos with that. Sandwiches are universally for cheap sliced cheese and cheap ham.

In summary, the phrase "the best thing since sliced bread" sounds very awkward in Spain because sliced bread is not associated with something good. It's associated with something quick that can do if you're in a hurry or if there's nothing better. Kind of as if we said "the best thing since Perl scripts" :)

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#18

Post by trumbitta2 »

camillomiller wrote: post #9

Just to add some perspective from the outside world (I.e. Not America). In Italy sliced bread never really took over common bread. Yes we make toasts, and yes, we have sliced bread, but that's usually some industrial, over-processed bread loaf that you'll never find fresh at a bakery. Here in Germany, were I live now, it's a mix. Common bread everywhere, but you can slice your own loaf at the supermarket with a terri…

Very few things in this world beat a good sandwich made of roughly cut "civraxiu" [1] loaves, with "salsiccia di Irgoli" [2] and "pecorino" [3] cheese, washed down by a glass or three of "Nepente di Oliena" [4] red wine.

Ok, now I'm really hungry.

[1] http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civraxiu

[2] http://it-pic1.ciao.com/it/7410.jpg

[3] http://www.vinci-alimentarisardi.com/images/formaggi%20siama...

[4] http://www.amazon.com/2001-Gostolai-Cannonau-Nepente-Riserva...

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#19

Post by netcan »

brc wrote: post #13

I've become a convert to home baking with a bread machine, and the loss of easy slicing is one if the biggest downsides. The purchase of a slicing guide and electric knife has offset this somewhat, but it's still easy to get wrong. What I'd like is a compact home bread slicing machine.

You might consider just getting a nice long, sharp bread knife. There's something fun about a great knife.

Re: The Invention of Sliced Bread

#20

Post by trumbitta2 »

"Trusting the great potential in his hypothetical invention, he immediately set out to conduct some market research. He put together a brief questionnaire “for the purpose of determining a thickness of slice which would be most nearly universal in acceptance,” and placed it as an ad in several large newspapers. Over the course of a few months, he managed to cull responses from 30,000 housewives.

Armed with this knowledge, he embarked on a long, painful journey to bring his invention to life."

Talk about validating your idea!

I found it amazing this guy was doing what we recently discovered, back in early 1900's

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