New Orleans French Bread - Arca del Gusto - Slow Food Foundation (2024)

FAQs

Why is New Orleans French bread different? ›

Two aspects of New Orleans French bread are distinctive. The first is its lightness. The interior often has large gaps and bubbles, and the crumb in general is quite airy. The other hallmark is the thinness and brittleness of the crust.

Leidenheimer bread remains unique over 120 years later and continues to be made using the same time-honored process. In a city like New Orleans, where eating is almost a religion, producing the perfect French bread is a sacred mission to the employees of Leidenheimer Baking Company.

This thin-crusted variety of French Bread—more commonly known as the Baguette, Po' Boy Loaf or Sunday Cap Bread—is fundamental to the New Orleans gastronomy. Each version of the French bread is slightly different. The baguette is the traditional 18-inch loaf that is served in many New Orleans restaurants.

So, let's start with a traditional po-boy. The key to getting it right is the bread. The ingredients between the bread can vary widely: shrimp, roast beef, fried green tomatoes- you've got to get the bread right. For the traditional po'boy we use what New Orleanians call “French bread”.

Unless you're lucky enough to get po'boy bread from New Orleans, the best bread to use should be light and fluffy inside with a thin, crispy crust on the outside—a French baguette, French bread rolls, or hoagies rolls are common swaps.

One of the secrets of a great baguette is to start with a sponge (a mix of flour, water, and yeast), which gives the yeast time to mature and combine with the other ingredients, creating the mildly sour and nutty flavors and chewy texture.

For a deliciously light and crispy bread that's soft and yummy on the inside, try a Member's Mark French Baguette. It's surprisingly versatile and can be used in a range of settings.

The iconic Texas French Bread bakery burned down in January 2022. Now its getting a much needed rebuild set to be completed by August 2025. It's been two years since a devastating fire destroyed an iconic Texas bakery in January 2022.

Creole cuisine is known for its bold flavors and generous portions! In New Orleans, a traditional Creole breakfast can include grits, beignets, red beans and rice, and coffee with chicory.

The muffuletta sandwich is said to have been created in 1906 at Central Grocery Co. on Decatur Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., by its delicatessen owner Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant.

What is the most famous sandwich in New Orleans? ›

The Muffaletta

A muffaletta is a famous italian sandwich invented in New Orleans with cured meats (ham and salami), provolone cheese, olive dressing and great bread.

The reason this can happen is: They are loaded with butter and sugar, which act as a tenderizer and preservative and make them keep well for several days. New Orleans-style French bread is the opposite. It has very little or no fat or sugar and no preservatives. French bread is fresh for a finite amount of time.

Legend has it the po-boy was born in a 1929 streetcar strike. With 1,800 drivers and motormen manning the picket lines, Martin Brothers Restaurant vowed to serve the workers for free. They asked local baker John Gendusa to invent a hearty, inexpensive sandwich.

The bread has a crunchy crust with a soft crumb. It is light and airy, but without giant holes. The flavor is clean thanks to the commercial yeast.

Most French bakers use a poolish process, which consists of a mix of yeast and water that's allowed to ferment overnight. The next day, this mixture is added to the rest of the ingredients. This gives the dough more flavor and aroma.

"French influence in New Orleans is traceable to the spring of 1682, when the French-Canadian explorer Robert La Salle first passed the future site of the city and claimed the entire Mississippi Valley for France," explained Richard Campanella, an author and geographer with New Orleans' Tulane University.