Supermarket bread
Discussion
Now let's not get into pros and cons of it, yea it'sass produced crap.
But can someone explain why late afternoon they slice all the baked in-store unsliced loaves? Surely they deteriorate quicker once sliced and some people what large hunks etc for other uses not slices.
I understand some say it's as people ask them to slice it in store when the bakeries manned and thus this covers that when they've finished for the day but do people actually ask them to slice it? Why not buy pre sliced.
Any ideas?
But can someone explain why late afternoon they slice all the baked in-store unsliced loaves? Surely they deteriorate quicker once sliced and some people what large hunks etc for other uses not slices.
I understand some say it's as people ask them to slice it in store when the bakeries manned and thus this covers that when they've finished for the day but do people actually ask them to slice it? Why not buy pre sliced.
Any ideas?
I’d imagine it’s because they are well cooled so will not “clump” when sliced. I buy my favourite wholegrain in Sainsburys and they have a customer operated slicing machine there which is a bit hit-or-miss in terms of the bread staying upright during the whole process, but comes out nice when it does work.
It's been many years but I once worked in a supermarket bakery. We used to slice all instore bread in the evening that hadn't sold that day, essentially to get another day out of it. It gets sliced and re-packaged in proper bread bags so it doesn't go solid, can then be sold the next day as a sliced loaf, and is easily differentiated from the fresh bread baked the same day. In day 2 it'll be 'reduced to clear' in the afternoon and binned if not sold by the end of the day.
theplayingmantis said:
ah i thought it would last longer unsliced. as all sealed in by crust
I did read somewhere that despite sliced bread being a proverbially great invention the real breakthrough was finding a way to pack it, because sliced bread does indeed tend to go off quicker for just that reason.V5Ade said:
My local Sainsburys (Guildford) has closed the bakery so now ship the bread in. They have also drastically reduced the selection of bread available. The local baker now charges £4 for a loaf.
Local Tesco has done the same - their Finest croissants used to be quite passable and a nice alternative breakfast, but since changing they've become overcooked and hard/crumbly (not sure if just the overcooking or a recipe change reducing the butter). Unsurprisingly the management couldn't give a s
t....so now I have the unenviable choice of paying to park in-town and then paying over the odds for another generic croissant, or managing without until I do a CostCo* run.
* It really comes to something when an American "pile it high / sell it cheap" company can do croissants better than all its' UK competitors...
havoc said:
Local Tesco has done the same - their Finest croissants used to be quite passable and a nice alternative breakfast, but since changing they've become overcooked and hard/crumbly (not sure if just the overcooking or a recipe change reducing the butter). Unsurprisingly the management couldn't give a st.
...so now I have the unenviable choice of paying to park in-town and then paying over the odds for another generic croissant, or managing without until I do a CostCo* run.
* It really comes to something when an American "pile it high / sell it cheap" company can do croissants better than all its' UK competitors...
M&S sell frozen croissants to bake at home. They're passable.t....so now I have the unenviable choice of paying to park in-town and then paying over the odds for another generic croissant, or managing without until I do a CostCo* run.
* It really comes to something when an American "pile it high / sell it cheap" company can do croissants better than all its' UK competitors...
theplayingmantis said:
Now let's not get into pros and cons of it, yea it'sass produced crap.
But can someone explain why late afternoon they slice all the baked in-store unsliced loaves? Surely they deteriorate quicker once sliced and some people what large hunks etc for other uses not slices.
I understand some say it's as people ask them to slice it in store when the bakeries manned and thus this covers that when they've finished for the day but do people actually ask them to slice it? Why not buy pre sliced.
Any ideas?
I used to be a proper baker in Tescos 30 odd years ago when every store has a from scratch bakery. Fresh hot doughnuts for breakfast every morning. Best job I ever had. Warm, smelled amazing and was finished by 12.But can someone explain why late afternoon they slice all the baked in-store unsliced loaves? Surely they deteriorate quicker once sliced and some people what large hunks etc for other uses not slices.
I understand some say it's as people ask them to slice it in store when the bakeries manned and thus this covers that when they've finished for the day but do people actually ask them to slice it? Why not buy pre sliced.
Any ideas?
A sliced loaf will not slice when remotely warm, if you do it reverts to dough under compression (mostly white bread does this and the slicer loads weight on the loaf as it slices) and when sliced you have to pack in a different bag (one with less ventilation) to stop it going stale as quick.
All the bread is one day only, or used to be and it goes in the bin if not sold same day so they need shot. However we did the opposite and did a % sliced and then sliced on demand as the day went on if sliced ran out. They might do it to stop people hassling them constantly to slice as that's what happens. Nowadays people are so used to sliced they seem incapable of self cutting bread.
Nothing nowadays compares to a proper fresh loaf. All this part bake is horrible in comparison. Even the french bakes are nasty.
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