"Boron Elgar" > wrote in message
...
> On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, we decided to hit the road in
> search of Cohen's Bakery in Ellensville, NY and also to Bread Alone in
> Boiceville. While others started their holiday shopping, we sought the
> elusive pumpernickel raisin and wild artisan bread.
>
> http://www.cohensbakery.com/
>
> http://www.breadalone.com
>
> The weather was cool, but clear, with bright sun and lovely clouds. A
> perfect day for a drive.
>
> I expected Cohen's to be a fancy place, but found the store quite
> small and unassuming. In fact, while walking in front of the glass
> displays to see all the bakery items, each of us there, strangers
> before that moment, needed to say "excuse me," and pass sideways to
> get by - we became almost immediate intimate acquaintances. Luckily
> the place was not too crowded.
>
> Still, just being there made me feel like a kid again, visiting the
> Jewish bakeries that flourished in the area of Detroit where I grew
> up. The only things missing to complete my memory-come-to-life were
> the middle-aged women that used to wait on customers and kibbitz in
> Yiddish with any and all.
>
> There on the back shelves were 4 of the huge 5lb loaves of
> pumpernickel. I get the feeling most customers buy part of a loaf,
> not a whole one. This was based on the look on the face of the kind
> woman behind the counter when I enthusiastically said "yes" when she
> asked , somewhat incredulously, if we really wanted the whole thing.
>
> We did not buy any other breads, but did manage to walk out with a
> pound or two of poppy cake, some kichel, a few almond horns and a
> mandel bread (chocolate covered!!).
>
> We put the goodies in the trunk to avoid nibbling and made our way to
> Boiceville and Bread Alone. Boiceville is in the middle of Catskill
> State Park. We drove through the mountains, past gorges and waterfalls
> and winding rivers and beautiful reservoirs....lovely ride.
>
> Bread Alone has several shops, but the one we went to houses the
> famous brick oven and is the bakery that supplies the bread and baked
> goods to the other stores.
>
> There is a cafe attached to the bakery and we had some soup (vegetable
> for me and corn chowder for The Hub - both soups were superb) and a
> roll (whole grain and rustic - not bad). After lunch, we bought
> couple of loaves and asked to see the oven. We had read on the web
> pages that one could tour the facility without any appointment and
> they were true to their word and most accommodating. One of the
> college-age women behind the counter escorted us back for a quick tour
> of the facility (looked like the usual kind of bakery work area), but
> I wanted to see the star of the facility close up...the famous oven
> which had come from France (peek around the web link I posted to learn
> about the oven). Obligingly, they let us get right up to it and opened
> a door for us to look inside. Neat-o. What can I say...I got a real
> charge out of looking at it and walking through the facility. I'm a
> cheap date, I guess!
>
> We came out of the bakery area and I took a deep breath and asked if
> could have some sourdough starter. I had explained earlier to our
> "docent" that we were ardent bread bakers. She asked if we knew about
> the book, "By Bread Alone," and I told her that it was well worn and
> used often at our house. Our guide went back in to make the request
> and returned, saying that if we could wait 10 minutes, we could have
> some starter. She then asked if we wanted white or whole wheat. I
> wanted white. We passed the time looking around the cafe and at the
> various breads (we had bought a rustic corn bread (looked like a
> semolina loaf with cornmeal on the outside. It is in the freezer) and
> an onion bread, similar in shape to foccacia, but I am not sure what
> they called it.
>
> A few minutes later, one of the workers from the back came out with a
> cup full of starter with the words "La Brea" written on top. (that
> surprised me) and we thanked one and all profusely, put the starter in
> the cooler in the car and made our way home.
>
> It was a very nice day.

Snip:
A few minutes later, one of the workers from the back came out with a
cup full of starter with the words "La Brea" written on top. (that
surprised me)

I'm wondering if other bakeries use 'la brea' starter or even the dough
purchased from 'la brea.'
The ciabatta rolls at Costco say on the package 'la brea.' But I have to
assume that Costco buys the dough from La Brea and then bakes the ciabatta's
at the local Costco stores, because Costco says that Costco bakes the
bread - vs. Costco making up the dough with the 'la brea' starter.
A wonderment!
Thanks for this added information.
Dee