The 7 Days of Artisan Bread

This post aims to offer some guidelines on how to make the most of a loaf of artisan bread over the course of a week.
To achieve this, we need to keep the following details in mind:

• • We must buy the bread from a genuine artisan bakery. Avoid bread from supermarkets, gas stations, and bakeries that call themselves "artisan" but merely bake par-baked loaves or doughs made in industrial facilities and transported in refrigerated trucks.
  • The loaf should weigh at least 400 grams and preferably be a "batard" or round shape, which provides a higher crumb-to-crust ratio.
  • The wrapping should be paper or cloth (the traditional choice), and the bread should be stored in a drawer protected from drafts.
  • Regarding the trend of storing bread in the fridge: if you do this, you must wrap it in plastic cling film to prevent it from drying out. This method involves using plastic and electricity for preservation—not exactly an eco-friendly practice.

So, we have the bread... now what?
Here are the recommendations for the next 7 days.

• • DAY 1: FRESH BREAD: The first day is the most "dangerous." It’s so delicious that you might be tempted to eat the whole loaf in one go. But if you have willpower, you can make it last the full week.
  • DAY 2: SANDWICHES: The bread is still soft enough to make sandwiches with cured meats, omelets, or cheeses—always accompanied by the traditional *pa amb tomàquet* (bread rubbed with tomato).
  • DAY 3: WARMED UP: On this day, cut slices—not too thick—and warm them in the toaster. Just warm them through; don't actually toast them. This revives the bread. For many, this is the best time to eat artisan bread. DAY 4: BRUSCHETTA: This term has become trendy—it looks very "cool" on bar and restaurant menus—but it is essentially just a traditional toasted slice of bread topped with various ingredients and briefly broiled so it can be served hot (and look even "cooler"). Traditionally, the toasted slice is topped with roasted peppers (*escalivada* style), tuna, anchovies, and black olives. Magnificent!
  • DAY 5: TOASTS: Using a good knife, cut very thin slices (be careful not to cut yourself), place them on a baking sheet, and toast them at a low temperature (100–120°C). Once cool, store them in a glass jar; now you have toasts ready for breakfast with butter and jam, or for serving with pâtés.
  • DAY 6: CROUTONS: By this point in the week, the bread is usually getting dry. It is the perfect time to cut it into cubes (about 6 millimeters per side) and fry them in olive oil. Once cooled and drained, store them in a glass jar—ready to add to your daily green salads.
  • DAY 7: BREADCRUMBS: Well, we’ve reached the end of the cycle. All that’s left is to grate the bread—either by hand or using a machine—to make breaded dishes and croquettes.

With all that said, remember to keep buying real ARTISAN BREAD—and you don't have to wait until the 7th day to do it. You can buy good bread every day.
Cheers!