The result of this convenience and the low price of genetically modified and artificially fertilized food is a huge amount of waste. Bread has become the one thing that gets thrown a way a lot due to the fast change in freshness and taste and low price. Fresh bread can be heavenly while couple of days old bread is not as good any more.
Here are ways to save this important food.
- Preserve the bread.Freeze the bread as soon as you buy it. Place in toasted only when you are ready to use it. It will maintain it's taste and freshness and you will not waste any, since you only toast the bread you need. ( This has been my system for years)
- Bread Crumbs.Let the old and stale bread dry, them place them in blender with some garlic powder. Place them in an airtight jar in the freezer. I use it for home made Chicken Tenders , Shrimp popcorn or chicken schnitzel. It is very easy. You can dredge chicken, Zucchini , Egg plants, fish , shrimp or anything you choose in the bread crumbs after dipping them in beat-ed egg. just fry them. yum
- French toast. This is one of my kid's favorite breakfasts. Just beat eggs and add salt to the mixture. then soak the stale bread in it for few minutes on boat sides. Fry it in hot oil or butter. You can add honey if you like it sweet.
- Croutons.Cut the stale bread in cubes. Saute in ground fresh or powdered garlic, butter and olive oil. Use it on Salads.
- Use it for french Onion soap. I have never made it, but would like to experiment it with one of the on line recipes.
- Feed the birds and fish. This has been one of our favorite quality times with my kids. We just keep all the bread crumbs and unused stale breads and take them once a while to the pond close to our home and feed the ducks and fish. Our little old bread crumbs could actually become a whole meals for the wild turkey and duck and fish in the area.
The below post is a contribution from my wonderful sister in law. Elke Parsa. She lives in Europe.
Thank you Elke :)
Paris
Bread bin not waste bin
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| Photo Credit: Elke Parsa |
Are you, like me, always tempted when you see (and smell!) real fresh bread? In particular those French and Italian country breads? They have the loveliest names and more importantly they have the best taste. However, as a conscious consumer, especially when there are not many in your household, you might think twice about buying them since they are hard to keep fresh. You rush to enjoy your first couple of freshly cut slices but then, sometimes only even after a day, you find yourself losing interest in this loaf that is staring at you from the counter top. Until it becomes stale and you think you have a good reason to throw it away. Don’t!
This is what the Italians do with their stale bread – a Mediterranean recipe that brings your stale bread back to – a different (!) – life.
Panzanella
Tuscan bread salad serves 3- 4 people (as a starter or 2 as a main course)
4 thick slices of stale bread
½ cucumber
2 firm, meaty tomatoes
1 red onion
small bunch of fresh parsley leafs
a few fresh basil leafs
1-2 cloves of garlic
½ cup of olive oil
2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Soak the bread briefly in water, squeeze the water out as much as possible and crumble the bread slices. Peal and dice the cucumber. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes. Chop the onion, garlic together with the parsley. Tear the basil leafs into small pieces. Mix all ingredients in a large salad bowl. Dress the salad like Italians do: poor a rich amount of olive oil on top op the salad and drizzle some vinegar over it as well. Finally add salt and pepper. Mix again until all vegetables and bread are covered with the dressing.
Serve the salad cool, but do not place it in the refrigerator since it will cause the salad to loose its flavor.
Tip: You can replace the cucumber by leafy vegetables like rocket salad. And as a delicious extra you can add chunks of roasted eggplant to the salad.
Elke Parsa
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