Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan wrote:

>
> Now that you mention it, what *is* a good Italian bread? I see it at
> Breadsmiths all the time. I have purchased it and it's good but it's more
> of a sandwich bread.

That doesn't sound like the Italian bread we get around here. It sounds more
like an Italian shaped loaf pre sliced. We have an Italian bakery in our town
that makes wonderful bread, though it always seems especially good on Tuesdays
for some reason. It is a shaped loaf, long and rounded and tapered a bit at
the ends and cooked open rather than in a pan. It should have a nice crusty
outside and be soft in the middle. There is Italian bread there is good
Italian bread. It is well worth it to go to a good bakery and pay a little
extra for the good stuff.