"Alex Rast" > wrote in message
...
>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?
>
>
> --
> Alex Rast

I posted your question at the other group and this is the reply.
> Janet Bostwick wrote:
>> "An acquaintance is heading to Boston next week and is interested in good
>> breads, not sourdough and not pastries. Any recommendations?
>> Janet
>
> Buy ahead and carry with. Or find a Panera's.
>
> I'm overstating the case only slightly. There actually are a couple of
> places to get decent (not great) bread in Boston. However, you have to eat
> a restaurant meal--an expensive restaurant meal--in order to get the
> bread.
>
> The best independent bakery I know of in eastern Massachusetts is Nashoba,
> in West Concord, which is about a half-hour outside Boston and definitely
> not good enough to justify the drive (I worked nearby, so it was
> convenient for me).
>
> This has been a sore point for non-native foodies in Massachusetts for a
> long time. I'm not alone in this view. "
Janet