Bread tips & tricks
Other Bakery Products
Available for pickup on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Select your pickup day when you order and pick up at your convenience on that day or any time thereafter. Not available for delivery except if ordered in addition to bread. Deliveries are made only on Fridays.
**some information is not included on the mobile website.
How to get your bread
The bakery is located on the 29th block of East 22nd St. in east Minneapolis. The exact address for pickup will be given at checkout and in the confirmation email after an order is placed, or you can opt to have it delivered.
Deliveries
Deliveries are available at checkout under the shipping option, for an additional $0.70 per delivery and are made within 5 miles of the corner of 22nd St. and 30th Ave. (please check with google maps before you order). Deliveries are on Fridays between 1pm- 4pm.
Please leave some type of basket or box outside your door for bread to be placed in.
**I would greatly prefer not to leave bread unguarded on a floor or staircase, but this will be the case if no other option is present. A container of sorts, ideally with a lid, will also make sure the squirrels don't get to your loaf before you do. (Yes, this has happened…)
Pickups
The bread is usually ready for pickup at approx.11:20am or anytime thereafter. An email notice will be sent out when your bread is waiting for you. Seasonal House Loaves will be in the yellow box and all other bread types and bakery products will be in the black box.
**Please be advised that in the winter months, although I have insulated the box as much as possible, I will bring it indoors in the evening to prevent the bread from freezing. If you plan on coming late, please contact me so we can make sure you get your bread as fresh as possible. Bread that is unclaimed by Saturday afternoon will be placed in the freezer to maintain freshness. You can still claim this bread any time. Instructions on how to thaw and refresh bread can be found below.**
Deliveries are currently at capacity. Please join waiting list and you will be contacted once a spot opens up.
Frozen Pizza Crusts Heating Instruction
Pizza Stone (preferred):
Heat: Pre-heat oven for a good hour to as hot as it gets.
Time: 8-12 minutes + (optional) 1-2 minutes under broiler if you like a crispier crust.
***Ovens are personal so I suggest staying close and keeping an eye, at least the first few times.
How: Thaw for an hour while oven pre-heats. Spread your sauce ( I like to use a pastry brush). Throw on your cheese and favorite toppings, and slide it into the pre-heated oven directly onto the pizza stone.
Enjoy!
No Pizza Stone:
Heat: Pre-heat oven for a good hour to 430ºF - 450ºF.
Time: 14-18 minutes + (optional) 1-2 minutes under broiler if you like a crispier crust.
***Ovens are personal so I suggest staying close and keeping an eye, at least the first few times.
How: No need to thaw completely - just a bit to help separate the crusts, 10-15 minutes should be enough.
Spread your sauce ( I like to use a pastry brush). Throw on your cheese and favorite toppings, and slide it into the pre-heated oven directly onto the oven rack.
***Please do not- I repeat- do not(!) place cold pizza crust on cold sheet pan into hot oven!
consequences are a dried out, un-chewable pizza!
How to Store Bread?
The nice thing about sourdough bread is that it will take a very long time before it starts to get moldy. The secret is in the acidity of the bread. Fermentation with Lactic Acid Bacteria creates an acidic environment that is inhospitable to other bacteria and pathogens. Having said that, everywhere you look on-line, it will tell you to avoid using plastic bags to store bread. The reason for this is that the non-breathability of plastic traps in the moisture and creates a greenhouse of sorts around the loaf, which promotes mold growth. This is true and generally speaking, you should not store your bread in plastic.
However, there are two conditions that, if they exist simultaneously, create an exception to this rule:
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The bread is sourdough. Check!
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You are in a very dry climate. Check!
In the Minnesota winter, when the air is particularly dry, it is actually beneficial to store your bread in a plastic bag. In this case, the plastic will actually protect the bread from the dry air which accelerates staling and makes bread tough and unpleasant to eat. The sourdough acidity will protect the bread against harmful bacteria that cause molding and other pathogens, at least long enough for you to enjoy your bread leisurely over 4-5 days. After that it would still make a great toast!
In the warmer seasons when the air is more humid, a breathable paper bag or bread box would be a better choice.
The problem:
Bread freezes very well and can be kept pretty much indefinitely in the freezer. However, while freezing temperatures halt the staling process, cold temperatures which are above freezing, accelerate it. So, unless you have some liquid nitrogen at hand, in the process of cooling down some staling will occur. This is why, if simply left on the counter to thaw back to room temperature, you will discover that the crispness of the crust and the texture of the crumb are not quite what they were before going into the freezer.
The solution:
Luckily, there is a simple way to refresh bread and bring it back to life from the depth of the freezer. Simply follow these steps:
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Take bread out of the freezer and thaw for a few hours on the counter until at least partially defrosted.
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Preheat oven to 375ºF.
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Place bread directly on the grill of the oven for 12-15 minutes, until crust has re-hardened and is too hot to handle with a bare hand.
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The hardest and most important part: LET IT COOL COMPLETELY - at least an hour - before slicing into it.
Bread will be as good as fresh!
**This would also be a good thing to do during the winter months, if you picked up your bread late in the day and it cooled down significantly or even completely froze.
**Keep in mind that this method only applies to bread that has been frozen whole. If bread has already been sliced into, the best way would be to slice it all, freeze, and then thaw in a toaster by the slice.