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Best Bakery For Bread
Grossman's Bake Shop
READERS' PICK: A New York sophisto friend who relocated from Tucson to San Diego makes this plaintive plea every time we head to the Left Coast: "Bring a corn rye from Grossman's." True enough, the corn rye is wonderful and huge, a golden watermelon-sized hunk of caraway-seeded rye flour and corn meal the likes of which you'll have trouble finding west of the Hudson River. The other freshly baked breads and desserts there are similarly divine. READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: La Baguette, 1797 E. Prince Road; and 6470 N. Oracle Road. You've planned the perfect romantic evening for your lover and yourself. It's autumn in the desert, there's a full moon, the creosotes smell of rain, and the two of you are sprawled on a Mexican blanket listening to the distant coyotes howl. You produce a carefully packed picnic basket and remove a bottle of a lovely Beaujolais, pecan crusted chicken breast, green beans marinated in balsamic vinaigrette, fresh raspberries, chunks of crystallized ginger, tiny crustless sandwiches of boursin and slivers of honeyed ham on fragrant French bread from La Baguette...Is it getting hot in here? A trip to La Baguette will do that to you! Good French bread is the stuff of romantic fantasies, and La Baguette always has the goods. In addition to the many different lengths and shapes of crusty French bread, the whole-wheat baguettes are a treat all on their own (just be sure to get there before noon if you want one--they never seem to stay in the shop until dinner time). If that romantic picnic begs for a dessert, might we suggest a fruit tart or petit fours from La Baguette's pastry case? Something tells us you may need to plan on picking up an extra bread from La Baguette to spread with plum preserves the morning after your romantic evening, so plan accordingly! A REAL SCREAM: If salvation had a smell, it'd be the hearty aroma of fresh baked bread. Great Harvest Bread Co., 7090 N. Oracle Road, has taken liberal creative license with the staff of life, bringing into the world some amazing and delectable wonders: cranberry orange, cinnamon raisin walnut, cheddar garlic, apple crumb, chocolate chip and--our favorite--chocolate cherry. But maybe we've gone too far: Their basic round loaves of Southwestern white, honey whole-wheat, and pumpernickel rye are so superior to the sliced supermarket brands in both taste and lasting freshness, try one slice and see if you aren't addicted. Word to the wise: The challah is sublime. We've mentioned only a fraction of the menu, so check it out for yourself and be sure to try one of the generous samples. Great Harvest is the best discovery since sliced bread.
One Reader Roars
Best Bakery For BreadThe yummy free slices of warm bread served right out of the oven, the many interesting varieties of bread--especially the Cinnamon Swirl--and the warm smiles and hospitality of Doug, Suzie, Kathy and their fellow "breadheads" make Great Harvest Bread Company the "best."
--Karen Sanger
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