Farmboy’s Belgian Bread is the best bread in town – it’s delicious with perfect texture and a wonderfully chewy crust, and it tastes just as good when it’s toast. It’s not cheap – $2.99 for a small loaf – but I love good bread.
However – the last two times I bought it, all the decent-sized slices were full of gaping holes. I hate that. I’m paying for a whole loaf, not a holy loaf!
It’s inconvenient too: I have to build my sandwich strategically so nothing falls out of the holes. I have to line the bread with lettuce or cheese slices to create a safety net for the smaller fillings like turkey chunks or peppers or pepper. Of course I end up with margarine and mustard only on the non-holy portions of the sandwich, unless I spread it on the lettuce instead of on the bread.
Even if I manage to construct a structually sound sandwich that doesn’t fall apart, it’s just not that satisfying to sink my teeth into a hole. You know what I mean?
I’ve invited Farmboy over here to read this entry. I’m sure they’ll have a Perfectly Good Explanation for why the best bread in town is not all there.
The good news is that in the over-regulated province we live in, bakeries have to ensure that you receive the posted weight of the loaf within 6 grams!!!! So you technically got what you paid for. The bad news is that probably the dough sat too long on the tray after being formed into loaves but before baking. I suggest salad with bread on the side rather than a sandwich AND a polite complaint to Farm Boy – maybe you’ll get a free loaf as an apology.
Try the walnut bread…
Forget Farmboy – just post the photo of the three slices on e-Bay and say it’s a miraculous likeness of The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.
I’ll bet ya Golden Palace snaps it up in no time.
Like that time they bought the toast with the likeness of, who was that again? Oh yeah…
http://tinyurl.com/y6qpeg
(;-D
Gilles
You’ve got a Farmboy? Jeez.
Nancy – it looked like the right SIZE for a loaf of bread, and you’re saying it had to be the right WEIGHT for a loaf of bread…so the only logical explanation is that those were unusually heavy holes!
Gilles – brilliant idea, but too late! I already ate the priceless holes!
Robin – I don’t really have a Farmboy – I went there in a car. How are you doing over there in Chinatown with no more grocery store? Are they going to turn the old Loebs into a food co-op?
There’s a picture of the former Loeb on my blog:
http://www.robink.ca/blog/booth-st-loeb-to-close/
Look, I got a nice reply from Farmboy:
“First let me apologize for your experience with the Premiere Moisson Belgian Bread you purchased from us recently. I can imagine how surprised and disappointed you were at the size of the holes, especially when you know the bread to be, as you wrote, “the best bread in town.”
We agree that the holes you found in the Belgian Bread were unusually large. The air holes are a result of the natural rising process and unfortunately, there is no control over their size. We did contact our supplier, Premiere Moisson, and the company believes the problem may have been specific to the lot your loaf came from.
We’d like to give you your money back. And, to show our appreciation for your taking the time to let us know about your experience, and in doing so, allowing us the opportunity to correct the situation, we’d like to give you a second loaf of Belgian Bread free of charge. Susan, would you please email me the location of the Farm Boy store most convenient to you and I’ll advise the Store Manager that you will be contacting him or her for the refund.
Once again, thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention and thanks for choosing Farm Boy!”
Yours sincerely,
Marilyn Currie
Director, People Services
Money back and a free loaf! Maybe Farm Boy will take pity on us down here in Chinatown and buy the old Loeb. Belgian bread, yum!