Translation not available
This page has not been translated for the selected language.
Find the perfect bread for your toppings
Tips and tricks for sandwich bars from culinary advisor Dave Geens
Dave Geens is a culinary advisor at Vandemoortele. With his creativity and years of experience, he gives advice on the best combination between bread and fillings for chefs in lunchrooms and sandwich bars.
“To begin with, there is no set rule. It's all a matter of personal taste and preference, but I can give some guidelines.
In general, the following applies: make sure you think about your toppings first. Not too much, certainly not too little. The bread should not dominate the toppings, nor should it be the other way around. The bread is not only a carrier, but also an important ingredient. There needs to be a perfect balance."
Dave Geens' insights when it comes to pairing the perfect bread with your dishes:
1. Cold cuts are king
“When I think of fillings such as salami, an Italian or Spanish ham or mortadella, I also think of bread on a charcuterie platter. Lanterna is a type of bread that comes from Genova. All based on focaccia, which is made using olive oil. We have focaccias that are meant to be used as a sandwich, but also focaccias full of character that we only use to cut in slices and serve on a charcuterie platter with some great cold cuts.
Focaccia with rosemary is a great type of bread to serve with those cold cuts, and so is our sourdough bread. If you want to serve a tapas or charcuterie platter in your sandwich bar, these kinds of bread belong to the main ingredients, alongside cheeses and cold cuts.”
“The focaccia with rosemary is a great type of bread to serve with cold cuts”.
2. Cream cheese
“Cream cheese sandwiches have grown incredibly fast as a category, both in sandwich bars and at home. We immediately think of a bagel when we think of cream cheese, but there are many more possibilities. It goes perfectly with a white or brown baguette. Cream cheese is perfect as a first layer in a panini or a grilled sandwich because it greatly enhances the experience of melted cheese under the actual slice of cheese. Warm cream cheese really gives an extra dimension to your sandwich.”
“Cream cheese is perfect as a first layer in a panini or a grilled sandwich”.
3. Hot toppings
“A great baguette is always perfect for any hot topping. But I especially recommend picking the round and crispy fossette for warm ham with a honey glaze, a spicy shawarma with lettuce and home-made garlic sauce, or lukewarm pastrami with some sauerkraut. Fossettes have very large air holes in the dough so that they absorb moisture, and a very crispy crust that gives a delicious bite to your warm, soft filling. It’s just an incredible combination.”
4. Smoky goodness
“Anything goes, as long as the sandwich has a crispy bite. Ingredients that can be smoked are almost always fatty ingredients like salmon or lardo: great taste and a soft texture that should be combined with crunchy bread. A bagel that you only toast à la minute when the customer orders, is a perfect combination with these delicious and soft fillings.”
5. Open sandwiches
And don’t miss out on the trend of open sandwiches: many sandwich bars use a large loaf of tasty and crunchy lumberjack bread to cut thick slices from. It adds a little to the experience for your customers if you cut their fresh bread in front of them as well.”
6. Vegan sandwiches
“More vegan spreads enter the market every year and the plant-based alternatives to meat and fish are really impressive in taste and texture. Don’t be afraid to experiment with these products. But first, check that your bread is really vegan. 90% of bread is, but some additives contain animal proteins. Vandemoortele pays special attention to this, because we want everyone to be able to enjoy our bread. In the past I would have advised using subtle bread to go with your veggie sandwich, but the vegetarian spreads and ingredients have gained so much in taste and quality over the past years that it’s time to be daring. Go vegan, be brave and you will see how this category can really grow!”
“Plant-based alternatives to meat and fish are impressive in taste and texture.”
Comparte este enlace vía
O copiar enlace