From the moment bread is sliced, it loses moisture through the cut surface; moisture protected inside the loaf is exposed to the air in the slice, and it begins to harden quickly on the table. That is why bread is sliced in small amounts just before serving, covered with a cloth in a basket, and brought to the table in batches as it is needed, not in 1 trip. For warm bread, drape the cloth loosely so the crust does not soften.
In a whole loaf, the crumb retains its moisture under the protection of the crust. When a knife cuts the loaf, that protection is removed at the cut surface, exposing the inside directly to the air. Slicing multiplies this exposed surface: the thinner the slices, the more surface area is exposed. At the table, a slice both dries out and cools; as bread cools, its starch tightens and the slice hardens. That is why the crusty end of a loaf dries out more slowly than the interior slices: its exposed surface is smaller and three sides are covered by crust.
The first rule is when to slice. Slice the bread just before the meal reaches the table, not while setting the table. Bread sliced in advance and placed in the basket has already started drying at the edges by the time guests sit down. It is better to slice only what is needed for the first serving instead of the whole loaf; keep the remaining loaf uncut in the kitchen. Do not cut the slices too thin, because thin slices dry quickly; medium-thick slices keep the inside fresh longer. Do not slice bread straight from the oven before it cools, because the crumb has not yet set and will be crushed by the knife.
The basket itself also protects the bread. Line the basket with a clean cloth, place the slices inside, and fold the edges of the cloth over them. The cloth keeps air from directly touching the slices and slows drying. If warm bread is covered tightly with a cloth, the opposite happens: steam from the bread gets trapped and softens the crust. That is why the cloth should be draped loosely over warm bread. Covering bread with a plastic container also softens the crust for the same reason; use a breathable cloth at the table, and use a clean cloth each time.
Bring bread to the table in batches as it is needed, not all at once. A small basket can be refilled often; a large basketful of bread comes back dry at the end of the meal, and much of it goes uneaten. If bread needs to be served warm, warm a whole loaf or large pieces in the oven for a short time after sprinkling a few drops of water over them, then slice the bread after warming. Bread hardens faster once it cools after reheating, so warm only as much as will be eaten and do not reheat the same bread a second time. Put the warmed piece into the cloth-lined basket right away.
The type of bread also affects how quickly it dries. Country bread with a thick crust and sourdough stay soft longer after slicing; white bread and pita with thin crusts harden much more quickly. That is why flatbreads such as pita and lavash are warmed last and served wrapped in a cloth. Put leftover slices that have not been eaten into a bag right away; do not throw away dried-out slices: separate the crust from the crumb and use them in the kitchen. How to store bread for several days is a separate topic with its own rules.
Comments (3)
Bütün somunu sofraya getirip orada kesmek daha iyi olmaz mı, herkes istediği kadar alır.
Olur ve ekmek en uzun öyle taze kalıyor, yalnız sofrada bıçak ve tahta gerektiriyor. Kalabalık sofrada pratik yol somunu ikiye bölüp yarısını dilimlemek, öbür yarısını bütün bırakmak.
Ekmeği sofra kurulurken dilimlemek bizim evde âdetti, yemek gelene kadar kuruyordu. Özellikle kışın soba yanarken dilimler taş gibi oluyordu. Dilimlemeyi yemek masaya gelmeden hemen önceye aldığımdan beri aynı ekmek bambaşka geliyor.
Sepetin üstünü bezle örtmek gerçekten işe yarıyor, kuru sepet ekmeği daha çabuk sertleştiriyor.