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Storing
Serve the bread the day you buy it if possible. For next-day use, place the loaf in a paper bag, then in a plastic bag, close tightly, and store in a cool, dark spot. Do not refrigerate, as modern refrigerators have fans and tend to dry the bread. For longer storage, freeze, wrapped as above.
Refreshing
To refresh bead that has been stored for one or two days, place the
unwrapped loaf in a 400° F oven for 7 - 10 minutes. Even a fresh loaf can
sometimes benefit from a quick refreshing prior to serving.
Freezing & Thawing
Place the loaf in a paper bag and then in a plastic bag. Remove the frozen bread from the freezer, unwrap it and allow it to thaw completely at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. In an emergency, wrap the frozen loaf in foil and thaw in a moderate oven (325° F) for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf. When thawed, place the unwrapped bread in a 400° F oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Frozen bread is best used within a couple of weeks.
Slicing
A good quality bread knife with a serrated edge is essential. When serving
a batard or round loaf for table bread try a restaurant trick for
presentation: Cut the loaf in half, top to bottom. Turn the cut side down
and cut in half again. Slice each quarter so that the slices just hold
together but may be torn apart easily at the table.
All Grand Central retail locations will happily slice any of our loaves.
Some supermarket accounts slice upon request.
Because no part of a Grand Central loaf need ever be wasted, go to our recipe section for ideas on how to use your leftover bread from croutons and bruschetta to bread pudding and strata. Enjoy!
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