PORTLAND, Maine — “How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?” chef and cookbook writer Julia Child once asked.
It was a fair question back in the 1950s and '60s, when the bread found in most American homes was white, soft, and all but tasteless. Those bland, squishy slices were an essential part of every one of the thousands of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches I happily devoured as a child, and not once did I ever find them wanting.
But tastes change, and we’ve come a long way since then.
Now you can find more delicious breads in Maine than ever before. Made by hand from high-quality ingredients, it comes in a variety of styles from a wide array of cuisines. Chances are you won’t have to drive too far to find a bakery making something worth trying.
We asked Joe Ricchio, the food writer and host of the Food Coma podcast, to tell us about some of his favorite breads in Maine. Here are the bakeries he chose.
- Solo Market, South Portland
- Tinder Hearth, Brooksville
- Black Crow, Litchfield
- Night Moves, Biddeford
- Dina’s Cuisine, Portland