CATEGORY

Sliced White Sandwich Bread

2007 CHEFSBEST® AWARD FOR BEST TASTE WINNER

Sara Lee Soft & Smooth

What Makes a Great White Sandwich Bread?

For many of us, white bread was the bread of choice during childhood. Memories of school lunches revolve around peanut butter and jelly or bologna and cheese in between two slices of white bread (with the crusts cut off, of course). From French toast to grilled cheese sandwiches, the versatility of white bread makes it a welcome part of any adult pantry as well.

Our chefs define a high-quality white bread as having a moist texture with numerous air pockets and a solid, white crumb ("crumb" is the soft middle portion of the bread, not the crust). Being soft and fluffy, it should be the ideal bookends for a sandwich, especially one being prepared for a child or someone not in the mood for complex breads.

White bread should appear spongy like foam rubber, and the bread’s crust should be an even brown that offers a little resistance when bitten. There should also be a natural, pillow-like springiness to the bread that makes it spring back after pressure has been applied.

In the taste profile, the yeast should give a very mild sourness to the bread, which should be balanced by slight bitterness, some sweetness and a little saltiness. These basic tastes, at the right levels, will create the appropriate taste balance.

While being chewed, the bread should become both adhesive and cohesive—meaning it should stick to itself and to the inside of your mouth—but it should quickly dissolve. There should be no chemical, stale or bitter off notes detracting from the overall flavor profile of the bread. It should be a simple complement to whatever it is served with.

Product Category Definition

The product judged was defined as sliced white sandwich bread for the consumer market, excluding any wheat, rye or artisan breads.

Other Leading Brands:

Pepperidge Farms, Wonder White Fans Bread, Sara Lee Classic, Home Pride, Wonder, Sara Lee Delightful, Sunbeam