What is Artisan Bread?
Artisan Baking - an artisan, also called a craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who uses tools and machinery in a particular craft. In Europe during the Middle Ages, artisans, including bread bakers, jewellers and glass blowers were usually organised into Guilds. To become an artisan in a Guild, a person worked under a master artisan as an unpaid apprentice at a young age. If the apprentice completed the training, the apprentice became a paid Journeyman. For a Journeyman to become a master artisan, he would have to produce a masterpiece that met the standards of the Guild. These underlying principles of training and dedication to your craft are still applied today at Brasserie Bread.
An artisan baker is a craftsperson who is trained to the
highest skill level to, mix, ferment, shape (hand mould) and bake a
hand crafted loaf of bread. An artisan baker knows it takes time, a
long time to create a great loaf of fresh bread. An
artisan baker takes time choosing the very best ingredients and
never bakes with preservatives and additives. An artisan baker
spends time thinking about the entire process from start to finish.
An artisan baker is never afraid to experiment and be creative.
Today's artisan bakers also understand the science behind the
chemical reactions of the ingredients, and know how to provide the
best environment for the bread to develop. An artisan baker is
proud of the thought, creativity and effort that it takes to
produce each and every product... a true artisan baker is a
perfectionist!
During recent years there has been a resurgence of artisan bakeries. As consumers have become more educated and health conscious there has been a corresponding growth in the demand for tasty, nutritious, preservative-free artisan bread. Brasserie Bread is Australia's leading artisan bakery now employing over 20 artisan (bread & pastry) bakers.
Watch our expert bakers at work in our 'Behind the Scenes of the Bakery' video
Find more informational articles on artisan baking and bread
