Blog 2013

Serious Eats describes the muffaletta as: "a world-class sandwich which hails from New Orleans, where it is often sold as an entire loaf of bread suitable for four people of healthy appetites to enjoy."  I think I'm going to need a plane ticket to Louisiana. 

                If you've never had a muffaletta, here's a bit of background.  It was brought to New Orleans by the Italian community and so it's packed with meat and spice.  Not unlike an Italian sub, the muffaletta has layers of meat and cheeses which are paired with peppers, capers, olives, or anything with enough zest to offset the meat.  And, because it's so versitile, any ingredient will work depending on the chef!  But what really makes this sandwich is the bread. 

                It's almost impossible to find great muffaletta bread outside of New Orleans, but we can find you some pretty close options to compare to the real thing.  What you're mainly looking for is a thick focaccia-type to soak up all the great flavors from the meat and cheese.  (We've heard the longer it rests, the better it tastes!)  We have an abundance of focaccia and ciabatta breads, ranging from large sheets to individual round sandwich roll sizes, from heroes to baguettes.  One great option that has been featured at Beauty & Essex is the Ciabatta Sandwich Roll from Balthazar Bakery.  The Chef at Beauty & Essex uses the ciabatta because it's thick and rustic, just like the bread used in New Orleans, but scaled down to satisfy one individual instead of 4.  The pockets throughout the ciabatta help trap the flavor from the sandwich ingredients and also help the chewer not wear his jaws out.  Is your mouth watering yet?

                For a great muffaletta recipe, check out this post from seriouseats.com: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/09/dinner-tonight-muffaletta-sandwich.html

Photo from: http://www.nomenu.com/reviews/Mahonys.html

If you've opened your eyes or ears at least once this past week, you'll know that there's a sudden surge in the pretzel bread industry.  Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger, Dunkin' Donuts' Pretzel Roll Roast Beef Sandwich are only two popular options you may come across.  But it's not only the fast-food chains that are adding pretzel bread to their menus.  Many restaurants, taverns, bars, and delis are also joining in! 

            The craze seems to be based on savory, spicy, and creamy ingredients in between a crusty yet soft, salty bun.  There are numerous flavorful combinations to pair with the salty pretzel besides cheese and meat, however.  Many sandwiches on a pretzel bun have included avocado and even chicken salad!  Let's face it, there are so many different sandwich ingredients you can throw in between two slices of pretzel, so many creams or sauces you can spread.  It's a favorite for any kind of sandwich eater!  Dare we say, a staple bread?

           Delicious ingredients that we've seen between the buns include: honey mustard, white cheddar cheese, avocado, applewood smoked bacon, dijon mustard, chili, ham & swiss, BLT, chicken, tuna, crab, turkey, and eggs.  There's a ton of creative combinations out there, we'd love to hear the tasty treats you'd like to create on your pretzel buns!

           Check out Royal Bakery's full line of pretzel products, TomCat Bakery's pretzel burger buns, or Hudson Bread's pretzel dinner rolls for sliders or a hearty soup side.  A popular item among our customers is the salted pretzel stick from Bakery of New York.  Anyone been to an Oktoberfest this season?  We bet you've seen pretzels there.  They're perfect to pair with beer! 

             Need more convincing?  Food Network's Guy Fieri makes a great grilled chicken sandwich on a pretzel baguette: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/grilled-chicken-sandwich-on-pretzel-baguette-with-citrus-mustard-recipe/index.html 

Click here for Pretzel Baguettes

Photo above from www.yammiesnoshery.com

Coming Soon! Look here for ideas and inspiration.  Thinking of trying a new bread but not sure what to make?  Check-in here, we'll do the research for you!

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