Ra
mbler's last comments got me thinking about bread. Not that I need a comment to get me thinking about bread, but his mention of
Brueger's bagels on Camp Bowie brought back fond memories of them and of the old, original
La Madelaine's down the street. If asked to give up a category of food, bread would be the last that I wanted to give up. I like them all: whole wheat, rolls, biscuits, cornbread, bagels, french bread, sourdough, rye, pumpernickel, you name it, if it has flour and yeast, I like it.
Bad news: it is also the one category I think needs improving in Fort Worth. I have talked about this before, and talked critically about what used to be a real bakery,
La Madelaine's, and was criticized by some for it. Bit in my opinion,
La Madelaine's hasn't made a good loaf of bread in years, or since the original owner and founder sold it.
Corner Bakery is only slightly better.
Panera's is a great store, I love it, but their bread is average, at best. Central Market? They have a loaf or two worth buying, but do they have a local bakery style killer loaf? Not IMHO.
Whole Foods has good bread for certain items, whole wheat especially.
Yogi's has a good bagel.
Einstein's is okay -- but we really do not have a knock your socks off bakery of any kind.
What if someone could put together a hundred thousand dollars or so and buy a little warehouse off Magnolia, put in some good bakery ovens, and start baking breads for the public and for restaurants? Put a little coffee shop in. Open at 7 close at 2. How many local Fort Worthians would find it and how fast?
I think it would be an instant success. Maybe, I'm wrong, maybe, the supermarket's inexpensive, all-taste-the same-breads drives quality out. The business of restaurants is different than the aesthetics. It could be that there just isn't enough demand for an old fashioned bread bakery.
Any thoughts?
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