BajaNomad

Bread

unbob - 11-12-2008 at 04:16 PM

Okay, here's one of my Baja pet peeves - lousy bread. The bread I always seem to buy is sweet and crumbly - absolutely no "body". My favorite bread in the US is Ciabatta - but I've never found anything like it in Baja. I'm just looking for something "heavy" or "thick" - you know - something like sourdough bread - made with little or no sugar and not sweet-tasting. Does anyone know where I can purchase good quality bread like I described in La Paz?

Forever grateful if you have the answer!

Gracias, Rob(erto)

thebajarunner - 11-12-2008 at 04:21 PM

Mexican bollilos are the nicest bread on earth IMO

However, being married to a Mexican lady, I know that most Mexicans do not put much emphasis on bread,

It really is a tortilla oriented world.

What part of Baja are you in, there are some great panaderias about, and many of them make some excellent breads.

unbob - 11-12-2008 at 04:24 PM

I'm in La Ventana - but do my shopping in La Paz. Bakery recommendations much appreciated.

oldlady - 11-12-2008 at 04:26 PM

Villadelfin, an infrequent poster on this board, has opened a bakery in La Paz. As I recall, the name is Pan de Les. I was there last week and bought a boule just like what you are describing. It was wonderful. So were the delightful cookies too. I can't remember the exact address, downtown, easy to find, just a few blocks up from the Maelcon. Perhaps, Les will see this thread and give you precise direction, if not, I'll zip into town and get it for you.

unbob - 11-12-2008 at 04:30 PM

That sounds great - but anything closer to Soriana and City Club would be ideal!

rhintransit - 11-12-2008 at 04:43 PM

the bread man! he's a La Paz local and sells his homemade and wonderful loaves...artisan type, his sour dough is something I always buy when in town. he's at Tres Virgens restaurant twice a week, and his wife has the bookstore near the cathedral, I can't remember the name right now. they were talking about other places but I haven't heard where yet. you can reach him on the vhf...call sign 'the bread man' I'll check with my La Paz friend and get back with more info.

rhintransit - 11-12-2008 at 04:44 PM

addendum...that's a Tres Virgenes twice a week in the morning til he sells out. sets up right at the entrance

CaboRon - 11-12-2008 at 05:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rhintransit
addendum...that's a Tres Virgenes twice a week in the morning til he sells out. sets up right at the entrance


Actually Les (the baker at Tres Virgenes) his own bakery now.
Pan D'Les
on the corner of Madero at Ocampo in La Paz
GREAT BREADS !!!
I love the Rustico .....
And he bakes a baguette that is crisp on the crust and soft inside .... a real baguette.
The mexican bread has toooooo much suger.

CaboRon

vandenberg - 11-12-2008 at 07:26 PM

We buy the Chicago Rye in CCC when in La Paz .You'll find it in the deli section with the bagels etc, far right of the Abosolo store. Wish my wife could get the recipe.

rhintransit - 11-13-2008 at 07:28 AM

okay my info was out of date. yes to Les and the breadman being the same. here are instructions to the store:

The bread guy has a new store. It is next to a chinese restaurant which is on the corner of Ocampo and Madero. Walking along the malecon from Marina de la Paz, you turn right at the National rent a car store. Go two blocks up the hill and turn left. It is just past the corner Chinese restaurant on the left side of the street.

Von - 11-13-2008 at 07:56 AM

Amigo learn to make some Pan home made its easy and fun hahahhaha...:lol:

Hook - 11-13-2008 at 08:37 AM

Much to our surprise, the best commercial bread we have found is the Wonder (yes, Wonder, that's the surprise) Pan Integral. All the others by Wonder and Bimbo are just as you describe, especially the Pan de Linazas by both companies.

unbob - 11-13-2008 at 09:05 AM

Mucho gracias for all the replies! I will definitely check out Pan D'Les next trip to La Paz!

CaboRon - 11-13-2008 at 09:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by unbob
Mucho gracias for all the replies! I will definitely check out Pan D'Les next trip to La Paz!


On my monthly supply run to La Paz,
Pan D'Les is a must stop
along with Cafe Batalia for Verecruz coffee.

CaboRon

toneart - 11-13-2008 at 01:20 PM

When in the area, be sure to check out the Panderila Frances in Santa Rosalia.

Roger, will your bread recipe work in an oven without tiles? Believe it or not this is a serious question, or maybe a dumb one. I am not immune from making the occasional uninformed error. (I like the word uninformed. It sounds better than dumb, but oh well, I am occasionally guilty of having both words apply). :smug::no:

stanburn - 11-14-2008 at 01:11 PM

I don't know where you can get it in LaPaz, but here on the Mainland the best chewey bread is a telera. It is flatter and chewier than a bolillo. Makes great sandwiches!

LOSARIPES - 11-15-2008 at 03:19 AM

Just went to Pan d'Les yesterday. Got a Rustico and a Sourdough..... both are great. Ocampo y Madero.
Funny thing.... I used to spend summer vacations in my childhood in that neighborhood, then called "Barrio de las pedradas" and that corner, where the Chinese rest is, was a small grocery store owned and operated by a paceno/chinese man called "El Cony" thus the store was called "Enquelcony"... that's a very La Paz way of naming a location,which means "En la casa del cony"
Enquelcony, was kiddicorner with "enquelchule", another bigger grocery store..... I am talking about 40+ years ago.
Anyway, the bread is very good and the gringo selling it is a nice person.

unbob - 2-22-2009 at 09:57 AM

FWIW, I've found the baguettes sold at Sam's Club in La Paz to be pretty darned good! They come packaged 3 baguettes shrink-wrapped together.

City Club also has them (packaged 2 baguettes shrink-wrapped) but they're the usual mushy, crumbly bread with little flavor or texture - like most bread around here.

[Edited on 2-22-2009 by unbob]

CaboRon - 2-22-2009 at 04:23 PM

Just go and see Les once a week ...

You will not be disapointed ...

CaboRon

dianaji - 2-22-2009 at 04:31 PM

maybe that bakery in rosarito will have good bread, since their cakes are so oood. also, i have begun to do solar cooking and have been told the bread comes out great. i just got a recipe for beer bread (ya, i know ur supposed to drink it), but i am soon going to try it as soon as i get some self-rising flour. i will be happy to share the recipe if anyone wants to try it.

diana

Mulegena - 2-22-2009 at 05:02 PM

In La Paz there is a bookstore not far from the malecon that sells bread made by the owner, I understand.

Has anyone tried making homemade bread using a large clay floor tile in their oven in lieu of an (expensive) bread stone? Probably would work, no? Would probably withstand the heat, yes?

Diver - 2-22-2009 at 06:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mulegena
Has anyone tried making homemade bread using a large clay floor tile in their oven in lieu of an (expensive) bread stone? Probably would work, no? Would probably withstand the heat, yes?


Unglazed quarry tiles work fine for the purpose.
Don't use glazed as some glazes contain lead.
Put one or 2 tiles both below and above the bread.
(I mean on the shelf above; not on the bread !)
Cut stone tiles will work better than clay tiles as they are denser - more mass and heat sink.

The purpose of the stone(s) is to make the oven cook conductively from heat stored in the tiles/masonry at a more even and tempered heat.
You will notice the difference in a more flaky crust and texture.

[Edited on 2-23-2009 by Diver]

Paula - 2-22-2009 at 08:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by unbob
FWIW, I've found the baguettes sold at Sam's Club in La Paz to be pretty darned good! They come packaged 3 baguettes shrink-wrapped together.

City Club also has them (packaged 2 baguettes shrink-wrapped) but they're the usual mushy, crumbly bread with little flavor or texture - like most bread around here.

[Edited on 2-22-2009 by unbob]



unbob, I suspect that Les's bread is much better than that from Sam's Club. He's just a little out of my daily shopping range, but I hope to stock up next time I'm in La Paz.

Bread Stones

Mulegena - 2-22-2009 at 09:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Diver
Quote:
Originally posted by Mulegena
Has anyone tried making homemade bread using a large clay floor tile in their oven in lieu of an (expensive) bread stone?


Unglazed quarry tiles work fine for the purpose.
Don't use glazed as some glazes contain lead.
Put one or 2 tiles both below and above the bread.
(I mean on the shelf above; not on the bread !)
Cut stone tiles will work better than clay tiles as they are denser - more mass and heat sink.

The purpose of the stone(s) is to make the oven cook conductively from heat stored in the tiles/masonry at a more even and tempered heat.
You will notice the difference in a more flaky crust and texture.

[Edited on 2-23-2009 by Diver]


Wow, Diver! Sounds good, and like you've done this before.
Got a recipe to go along with all this advice? Care to share it?
:yes:

Diver - 2-22-2009 at 10:03 PM

We have tons of recipes.
We're into sourdough quite a bit but you have to get some starter.
We've gotten tons of good bread ideas from the web; depends what you like.

Also, try using the same idea for pizza.
It stops the top and bottom from burning as your oven keeps firing to keep the high temp.

Make sure to let the oven preheat an extra 15 minutes or so to make sure the tiles are up to temp !

unbob - 2-24-2009 at 01:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
unbob, I suspect that Les's bread is much better than that from Sam's Club. He's just a little out of my daily shopping range, but I hope to stock up next time I'm in La Paz.


Paula, I'm sure you're right! I'm only saying that the bread I bought at Sam's was better than I expected - surely not the absolute best out there - but much better than I've found elsewhere.

I don't usually visit the downtown area, so that's the only reason I haven't checked out Les's place.