Traveling with bread

My cousin, a lover of my challah, sometimes stays with me.  The day before she leaves I bake and freeze some loaves.  She then packs them frozen.  Of course they're thawed when she arrives.  She keeps one out to eat immediately, but cuts and freezes the others.  These she eats over the time between then and when she can return.  Works for her, though sooner or later she has to come back for more.  I keep telling her that she could make her own but she's afraid of yeast.  Go figure.

For a yeasted, rustic bread - Potato bread lasts amazingly well - there's something in the starchiness of the potato that keeps the bread kind of springy-chewy for ages.

Challah also lasts well because of the egg, I think.

I've never made it, but a 50% rye rustic loaf should also keep quite well.

Quick breads should also last well - banana loaf, date loaf, things with a bit of stickiness to them.

Hi dvuong

I often take bread away on a long weekend. The best 'keepers' are those made with either vegetables or fruit.

For instance, a chocolate and beetroot loaf stays fresh for ages, as does a pane casereccio containing mushrooms, peppers, etc. Fruit loaves stay fresh as well - especially if you soak the fruit overnight.

You'll find details of these - and more - on my blog:

http://nobreadisanisland.blogspot.com/

Cheers, Paul

What a wonderful idea; I may do the same on our next trip.  I find any lean bread made with sourdough lasts at least 3-4 days if kept in a bread bag (I use bakery style bread bags--had to buy 500 of them from the local supplier); they also freeze well wrapped in foil, then reheated (if you have an oven at your destination) at 375 deg. F. with a spritz of water for about 15 minutes.  As for challah as suggested, I think challah, even if kept in a plastic bag, tends to dry out after the second day.  Of course, freezing a loaf or two and then reheating (if possible) would solve that problem.  Happy travels!