Artisan generally means anything that is made and crafted by hand. However, the word takes on a slightly different meaning when applied to artisan bread. An artisan bread supplier is still a crafted and skilled creator of a product, but the product is nothing like a beaded necklace or a macrame plant hanger. Here is what "artisan" means to the world of bread:
The Bread Is PERFECTLY Crafted
Artisan bread is some of the most perfectly crafted bread. The outside has just a hint of crunch without being scorched or overcooked. The inside is light, soft, and flavorful; not bland, hard, or dry. It takes an amazing amount of practice to make bread this perfect, which is why an artisan bread baker has years and years of bread-making experience under his/her baker's apron strings.
The Bread Is Full of Flavor
Many of the types of bread produced have their own flavor. Sourdough, for example, should have a light, creamy taste on the front of the tongue, but a slightly bitter taste on the finishing palate. If you taste the sour/bitter up front, a master baker definitely did not make that. Likewise, other flavorful bread, from Italian herb focaccia to Greek fennel, should invoke tastebuds and smells that bring back memories.
Bread Is Not Cake
There are some bakers that make loaves of cake-like sweet bread. While these are called "breads," they fall somewhere in between cake and bread. The difference is the number of eggs, water, milk, and other seasonings used (e.g., poppyseeds and lemon juice, cocoa powder, etc.). An artisan bread maker sticks to bread because that is what he/she does best.
The Baker Creates Perfect Bread from Around the World
An artisan bread maker makes perfect bread from around the world. English crumpets, French batards, Italian focaccia, German rye and beer bread, Irish soda bread, etc., are all made by this skilled craftsperson. Whatever type of international bread you want, he/she makes it and makes it taste exactly how you expect or remember it.
The Artisan Baker Gets up Really Early to Make Bread from Scratch
Every artisan bread maker worth his/her flour gets up hours before dawn to make the bread. He/she makes every kind of bread planned for the day from scratch, in small batches. When the breads are sold out, they are out until the artisan can make more that night after the bakery closes.
Contact a company like Klosterman Baking Company for more information and assistance.
