Alex Rast wrote:
> A little off-topic, perhaps, but I figured the quantity of participants
> here will give me better breadth of replies.
>
> I'm headed to Boston next week on a lightning visit. I'd like to find a
> good bakery for *bread*, not pastries. (The French have it right - you
> should have separate terms, "boulangerie" and "patisserie" for the 2 types
> of establishments. Why does English lump them together?) It's proving
> difficult to get any advance information because virtually all reviews,
> travel guides, etc focus on patisseries virtually to the exclusion of
> bread. So you'll find plenty of recommendations saying such-and-such a
> place is excellent, then read and see them raving over cakes or pies or
> eclairs or whatever.
>
> When I think "good", too, I'm not thinking so much of a bakery that's a
> standout for unusual, unique types of bread or a particularly broad
> selection of breads with unusual ingredients. I'm looking for high-quality
> basic breads - e.g. plain white French and Italian, straightforward brown
> bread, ordinary rye, etc. I highly prefer breads not made in a sour style
> (in Seattle sour-style breads are ubiquitous to the point of
> monopolisation).
>
> Any recommendations?
>
>
I personally like Clear Flour, which is on the Brookline/Boston line,
just off Comm. Ave. I usually go in there to get ONE loaf of bread and
come out with other stuff. They make excellent ciabatta.

I've heard good things about Bread & Butter in Jamaica Plain but haven't
been there to try their bread.

Hi-Rise Bread Co. and Iggy's in Cambridge are very good. Iggy's makes a
great focaccia (it's three inches thick).

Just a few, IMHO.