Anonymous
05/10/2025 11:30
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying NO good bakeries exist in the US, because there are really good ones, but why is it that the vast majority of bakeries in the US are just subpar. Take for example so many bakeries that make bread, croissants, or other puff pastry type items. Why is it in the US there are so many where the pastry shells or breads have too light of a coloring after being baked? Do they not teach the single most important chemical reaction in all of baking, which is the Maillard reaction? It is so absolutely fundamental to master the skill of Maillard, because it unlocks incredible amounts of flavor. Too many shops in America struggle with it. Are the majority of pastry shops and bakeries in the US even run by professional bakers with training, or are they just shop run by people who liked to bake at home and thought they were good at it? Make good bread is extremely hard. It is so hard to find really good bread in the US. So many croissant places miss the mark and their croissants are too soft and never flaky. Bleh.
"Make good bread is extremely hard."
and
"Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?"
Hmm.
Hmmmm.
Yep, that's a real mystery, there.
It is a mystery, because presumably if you open a shop you've mastered how to make good bread in the first place. Not trying to learn how to make good after you open the shop. What a disastrous business decision.
The best business decision is to determine what your clientele wants. Most Americans really don’t want the type of bread you want, because that type of bread is only great tasting for a few hours to a few days, depending on the type of bread. That means you need to shop for bread every day, and know what to do with day-old bread. Most Americans don’t want to shop for bread everyday, nor are their meals constructed around ways to use up day-old bread. So it’s not profitable to make that type of bread here.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 11:23
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
We bake our own bread in America.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 11:16
Subject: Re:Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Preservatives. Outside of NYC and a few other places, most people in the US don’t have the habit of shopping daily. That impacts both what individual bakeries offer as well as prices.
I highly recommend Je Ne Sais Quoi and Ninos in DC.
Bonoparte Breads in Fells Point was wonderful — a perfect neighborhood bakery and cafe.
I highly recommend Je Ne Sais Quoi and Ninos in DC.
Bonoparte Breads in Fells Point was wonderful — a perfect neighborhood bakery and cafe.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 11:11
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Anonymous wrote:Who needs all those empty carbs?
I love empty carbs that are actually made well! I have no interest in empty carbs from crappy bakeries. That is indeed a waste.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 11:10
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Who needs all those empty carbs?
Anonymous
05/10/2025 11:03
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm from Paris.
To be honest, I feel that way about patisseries in Paris as well. Most viennoiseries are heavy and doughy and not as flaky, cripsy on the outside, airy and soft on the inside, as they should be. Luckily, there's an excellent patisserie next to my parents' apartment and their breads, tarts and little pastries are to die for. They're expensive, but so worth it.
Here I like Tout de Sweet in Bethesda, and a friend recommended Je Ne Sais Quoi in DC. Poupon and Fresh Baguette are disappointing.
Me again. A lot of little boulangerie-patisserie don't make their own stuff anymore, but buy it from industrial bread companies and then bake them. That's a big part of the problem. If they advertise "fabrication artisanale" and "fait maison", and the products are all a little asymmetrical, then they're made in-house. But this does not guarantee perfection, since then it's up to the taste of the individual boulanger, or what he or she has observed sells better. Maybe the clients actually like undercooked doughy stuff if they've got their palate destroyed by industrial breads.
Hmmm did not know this
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:59
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Anonymous wrote:I'm from Paris.
To be honest, I feel that way about patisseries in Paris as well. Most viennoiseries are heavy and doughy and not as flaky, cripsy on the outside, airy and soft on the inside, as they should be. Luckily, there's an excellent patisserie next to my parents' apartment and their breads, tarts and little pastries are to die for. They're expensive, but so worth it.
Here I like Tout de Sweet in Bethesda, and a friend recommended Je Ne Sais Quoi in DC. Poupon and Fresh Baguette are disappointing.
Me again. A lot of little boulangerie-patisserie don't make their own stuff anymore, but buy it from industrial bread companies and then bake them. That's a big part of the problem. If they advertise "fabrication artisanale" and "fait maison", and the products are all a little asymmetrical, then they're made in-house. But this does not guarantee perfection, since then it's up to the taste of the individual boulanger, or what he or she has observed sells better. Maybe the clients actually like undercooked doughy stuff if they've got their palate destroyed by industrial breads.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:53
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
I'm from Paris.
To be honest, I feel that way about patisseries in Paris as well. Most viennoiseries are heavy and doughy and not as flaky, cripsy on the outside, airy and soft on the inside, as they should be. Luckily, there's an excellent patisserie next to my parents' apartment and their breads, tarts and little pastries are to die for. They're expensive, but so worth it.
Here I like Tout de Sweet in Bethesda, and a friend recommended Je Ne Sais Quoi in DC. Poupon and Fresh Baguette are disappointing.
To be honest, I feel that way about patisseries in Paris as well. Most viennoiseries are heavy and doughy and not as flaky, cripsy on the outside, airy and soft on the inside, as they should be. Luckily, there's an excellent patisserie next to my parents' apartment and their breads, tarts and little pastries are to die for. They're expensive, but so worth it.
Here I like Tout de Sweet in Bethesda, and a friend recommended Je Ne Sais Quoi in DC. Poupon and Fresh Baguette are disappointing.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:49
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
People don't tend to shop local for food items here, especially outside of urban areas. So you get baked goods from huge commercial bakeries, and the need to formulate recipes to enhance shelf life means that flavor takes a back seat.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:47
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
I agree.
Americans love preservatives. I am also convinced it’s partially water-related; IMO a plain European pilsner is always superior to an American beer.
Americans love preservatives. I am also convinced it’s partially water-related; IMO a plain European pilsner is always superior to an American beer.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:47
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying NO good bakeries exist in the US, because there are really good ones, but why is it that the vast majority of bakeries in the US are just subpar. Take for example so many bakeries that make bread, croissants, or other puff pastry type items. Why is it in the US there are so many where the pastry shells or breads have too light of a coloring after being baked? Do they not teach the single most important chemical reaction in all of baking, which is the Maillard reaction? It is so absolutely fundamental to master the skill of Maillard, because it unlocks incredible amounts of flavor. Too many shops in America struggle with it. Are the majority of pastry shops and bakeries in the US even run by professional bakers with training, or are they just shop run by people who liked to bake at home and thought they were good at it? Make good bread is extremely hard. It is so hard to find really good bread in the US. So many croissant places miss the mark and their croissants are too soft and never flaky. Bleh.
"Make good bread is extremely hard."
and
"Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?"
Hmm.
Hmmmm.
Yep, that's a real mystery, there.
It is a mystery, because presumably if you open a shop you've mastered how to make good bread in the first place. Not trying to learn how to make good after you open the shop. What a disastrous business decision.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:47
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
I don't know but I think good bread is something Americans aren't willing to pay for..
Every time a new bakery opens up in my area, people get excited on Facebook only to find out it is yet another custom cake place with garishly-colored fondant covering every item. When people ask about bread/baked goods the owners basically say its not profitable and custom cakes are where the money is.
Every time a new bakery opens up in my area, people get excited on Facebook only to find out it is yet another custom cake place with garishly-colored fondant covering every item. When people ask about bread/baked goods the owners basically say its not profitable and custom cakes are where the money is.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:44
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying NO good bakeries exist in the US, because there are really good ones, but why is it that the vast majority of bakeries in the US are just subpar. Take for example so many bakeries that make bread, croissants, or other puff pastry type items. Why is it in the US there are so many where the pastry shells or breads have too light of a coloring after being baked? Do they not teach the single most important chemical reaction in all of baking, which is the Maillard reaction? It is so absolutely fundamental to master the skill of Maillard, because it unlocks incredible amounts of flavor. Too many shops in America struggle with it. Are the majority of pastry shops and bakeries in the US even run by professional bakers with training, or are they just shop run by people who liked to bake at home and thought they were good at it? Make good bread is extremely hard. It is so hard to find really good bread in the US. So many croissant places miss the mark and their croissants are too soft and never flaky. Bleh.
"Make good bread is extremely hard."
and
"Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?"
Hmm.
Hmmmm.
Yep, that's a real mystery, there.
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:10
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying NO good bakeries exist in the US, because there are really good ones, but why is it that the vast majority of bakeries in the US are just subpar. Take for example so many bakeries that make bread, croissants, or other puff pastry type items. Why is it in the US there are so many where the pastry shells or breads have too light of a coloring after being baked? Do they not teach the single most important chemical reaction in all of baking, which is the Maillard reaction? It is so absolutely fundamental to master the skill of Maillard, because it unlocks incredible amounts of flavor. Too many shops in America struggle with it. Are the majority of pastry shops and bakeries in the US even run by professional bakers with training, or are they just shop run by people who liked to bake at home and thought they were good at it? Make good bread is extremely hard. It is so hard to find really good bread in the US. So many croissant places miss the mark and their croissants are too soft and never flaky. Bleh.
Cool story, bro.
It’s because that’s what Aunt Edna in Des Moines likes
Anonymous
05/10/2025 10:08
Subject: Why are so many American pastry and bread shops really bad?
I'm not saying NO good bakeries exist in the US, because there are really good ones, but why is it that the vast majority of bakeries in the US are just subpar. Take for example so many bakeries that make bread, croissants, or other puff pastry type items. Why is it in the US there are so many where the pastry shells or breads have too light of a coloring after being baked? Do they not teach the single most important chemical reaction in all of baking, which is the Maillard reaction? It is so absolutely fundamental to master the skill of Maillard, because it unlocks incredible amounts of flavor. Too many shops in America struggle with it. Are the majority of pastry shops and bakeries in the US even run by professional bakers with training, or are they just shop run by people who liked to bake at home and thought they were good at it? Make good bread is extremely hard. It is so hard to find really good bread in the US. So many croissant places miss the mark and their croissants are too soft and never flaky. Bleh.