Small Bites: Epic battle of the seed breads (2024)

Epic battle of the seed breads

The rise of Dave's Killer Bread is one of the biggest success stories of the Portland-area baking scene in recent years, and clearly the competition has taken notice. Franz Bakery's Green Earth Baking line has just introduced Great Seed bread, which sounds so similar to Dave's Good Seed bread that sheer coincidence seems unlikely. Like Dave's Good Seed, Franz's Great Seed is certified organic, contains no animal products (agave stands in for honey), is studded with a variety of seeds and comes in a biodegradable bag. The breads have some differences. In Franz's favor, its version has 60 fewer calories per slice and half the fat, though the smaller slice size accounts for some of that. And it's worth commending Franz for making a healthier bread that's not loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, and that's baked in an eco-friendly way.

But Dave's bread trumps the newcomer in one crucial way. It's made with whole wheat, which gives it twice the protein and a slightly higher dose of fiber, while Franz's is made with refined flour. That's an important distinction, given how confused American consumers are about what makes a product truly whole grain. A recent study by General Mills indicated that only 16 percent understand that terms such as "enriched flour," "100 percent wheat" and "multigrain" don't necessarily mean a product contains whole grains.

Dave's Good Seed has a few other advantages: It's less expensive, selling for as low as $3.79 at WinCo (Great Seed runs $5.19); and Dave's tastes better, with a nuttier flavor and a more substantial body that stands up well to a slathering of sandwich spread.

In our book, that's the knockout blow.

-- Grant Butler

WINE PICK

2009 Dr. Loosen "Blue Slate" Kabinett Mosel Riesling ($19):

I recently had the odd experience of tasting this wine just after sampling a so-so unoaked domestic chardonnay. I promptly dumped the bottle of chardonnay down the drain and dug into this ethereal product of the blue-slate vineyards of the middle Mosel River valley. Dr. Loosen is the best-known wine producer in Germany, and for good reason. This kabinett (a German wine term for the most delicate style of riesling) is on the one hand fresh and understated, a mere 7.5 percent alcohol by volume. On the other hand, it's bursting with exuberant notes of orange blossom, Asian pear, green apple and hibiscus, with Meyer lemon on the finish. Forget the chard; I could drink this all evening long. Available at local wine shops through Galaxy Wine Co. .

-- Katherine Cole

ON OUR DESK

"Appetite for Reduction"

Isa Chandra Moskowitz

DaCapo, $19.95, 290 pages

In a nutshell:

A lot of people assume that because vegans don't eat animal products, they have an easy time when it comes to watching their waists. Tell that to me when I'm tempted with Kettle Chips or a batch of vegan cookies. Leave it to innovative cookbook author Isa Chandra Moskowitz, the co-author of "Veganomicon," to come up with a collection of 125 low-fat recipes that won't have you leaving the table hungry.

Take a taste:

OMG Oven-Baked Onion Rings; Spinach Lasagna With Roasted Cauliflower Ricotta; Quinoa, White Bean and Kale Stew; Cajun Beanballs and Spaghetti; Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits; Spinach Linguine With Edamame Pesto.

What's hot:

Moskowitz's writing style is accessible and fun, and she demystifies ingredients like tempeh and tofu; all recipes are 400 calories or less per serving; every recipe has detailed nutritional analysis, including vitamin content, something too many diet cookbooks don't bother with.

What's not:

The book's design limits the number of color photos, and clusters them all in the center, away from the actual recipes.

-- Grant Butler

ON OUR SHELVES

Martha Wrap

Martha Stewart continues her push for world domination. This time she's selling a new wrap, which combines parchment paper and foil. The best of both? In theory, yes. Martha says the parchment protects against the foil's reaction to acidic foods (like lemon or tomatoes), while giving you the malleability and heat performance of foil. But when we tested it at home, we found the wrap doesn't crimp tightly and thus won't grip the edge of a pan or create a secure seal. We think that in most uses, you'll find that regular parchment and plain foil will perform better on their own. But if you want to try Martha Wrap, look for it at Safeway stores.

-- Katherine Miller

KITCHEN HINT

Chocolate that 'blooms' can be saved

If you find that your semisweet chocolate squares have turned white or pale, don't pitch them. That white haze is called "bloom," and it happens when chocolate is stored improperly, usually when it is kept somewhere that is too warm or it is exposed to extreme temperature changes. A couple of things can cause it. Either moisture dissolves some of the sugar in the chocolate, then rises to the surface, leaving sugar crystals behind when the moisture evaporates. More commonly, the fat or cocoa butter in the mixture separates and rises to the surface.

If you're using the chocolate in a recipe where it will be melted, you can still use it. Nibble a bit first to make sure it doesn't have an off flavor. (But you'd do that anyway, right?)

Good-quality chocolate is delicate, and it's certainly expensive. So it's worth storing it correctly. Keep it well wrapped in a dark place where it doesn't get too warm or too damp. In most kitchens, that means a cabinet that's well away from the stove. Be careful of what's stored near it, because it can pick up strong odors.

-- McClatchy-Tribune

FOOD QUOTE

"Nico! Don't play with the food! When I was your age, we didn't have food!"

-- Maria Portokalas in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"