Bread

Would you buy bread called bimbo ? Apparently its makers, Bimbo Bakeries, out of Mexico, are a bit concerned that some of you might not. Hence a few strategically placed billboards that have appeared on I-95 and elsewhere in Philadelphia recently offering a helpful pronunciation tip: "Say 'Beembo!' " As the global economy flattens boundaries between cultures and countries, Bimbo Bakeries' parent company, Grupo Bimbo, has discovered it has a bit of a hurdle to overcome as it seeks to become a national bread brand in the United States.

A wave of carbohydrate crime is sweeping Bucks County! A Bucks County woman has been convicted of plotting to murder her husband by poisoning his mashed potatoes. She baked up a story about having indeed talked about doing the deed, but never following through. The jury treated that alibi with starchy disdain. Meanwhile, testimony began this week in the trial of a county man accused of ruining more than $8,000 worth of baked goods, allegedly because of a fetish for going to the supermarket and squeezing breads, bagels and cookies until they crumbled.

Q. Since we are a working couple and use only two to four slices of bread a day, what is the best way to preserve the bakery freshness of the bread - refrigeration, freezing or keeping it at room temperature? John Przasnyski Philadelphia A. What I do is freeze sliced bread in a plastic wrapper, remove slices as I need them and toast them. Carol Rinzler in "The Complete Food Book" suggests the following: "Store bread at room temperature in a tightly closed plastic bag or in a bread box. How long bread stays fresh depends to a great extent on how much fat it contains.

Bread and butter are basic, yet they are also one of the simplest ways to make a meal memorable. Usually an afterthought, bread, in even the most elegant meal, seems never to receive the same concern and care given to other courses. But when attention is paid and forethought given, bread can be a precious jewel in a meal otherwise crowded with treasures. One of the easiest ways to make a special bread requires no baking, kneading or even turning on the oven. It calls only for a wholesome loaf, a bit of sweet butter, a bundle of herbs or a slice of cheese, and a little bit of your time and imagination.

The big guys are finally catching on that consumers want better-tasting, lower-calorie, higher-fiber alternatives to sandwich bread. Pepperidge Farm offers these 100-calorie flat rolls: good toasted with hummus or grilled for paninis. Available in whole wheat, oatmeal, and seven grain. If you need a beer primer to keep up with the crew at the latest gastropub (and who doesn't in brew-crazy Philly?), turn to a new book from local writer Lynn Hoffman for a tasty draft of advice. The Short Course in Beer (Künati)

Dear Polly: I cut up slices of stale bread and keep the cubes in a plastic bag to feed the ducks in our neighborhood park once a week or so. However, the bread in the bag sometimes starts getting moldy before I can use it. Is this harmful to the ducks? - H.W. Dear H.W.: I don't advocate feeding moldy food to anyone, even ducks. You can prevent or retard the mold development in two ways: (1) Keep the bread cubes in the freezer (they'll thaw quickly when you're ready to visit the park)

Dear Polly: Several years ago, we discovered that if you buy day-old bread (especially whole wheat), freeze it and then thaw it, it tastes like fresh- baked. Doing the same to fresh-baked white bread makes it taste almost like cake! - J.M.K. Dear Polly: When cooking cauliflower, add a little milk (about 1 teaspoonful). It helps to keep the cauliflower white. My toilet gets brownish stains because I have hard water. I flush the toilet, then before the water comes back, I use a steel wool soap pad to scrub the stain away.

Here and there in this universe are people - maybe three - who are capable, and crazy, enough to bake several varieties of bread at once at home. The rest of us help the economy along by buying it from people with big ovens and lots of employees. There are plenty of local bakeries toiling over a dizzying array of breads that will make your unconventional New Year's Eve soup party the talk of 2005. There are, however, guidelines about which breads complement soup. "Usually you want bread that is hearty.

Muscovites felt the sting of the coming market economy yesterday, and in a sensitive spot: the price of bread. As a prelude to a partial freeing of prices in the capital on Dec. 1, Moscow officials yesterday increased prices on three high-quality breads by six to eight times. The Soviet bread store has for decades been a shrine of extremely low, state-controlled prices, and Moscow residents who caught a glimpse yesterday of the new prices were left in a state of slack-jawed shock.

Every sub lover knows Atlantic City's unique bread - with a tip-to-tip slash that turns the crust into a cresting wave - is the secret to the Shore's best Italian sandwiches. Now you can re-create that fresh crunch wherever you live with these par-baked rolls from A. Rando Bakery, an A.C. institution celebrating its 100th anniversary. They take just 10 minutes in a hot oven to revive, and freeze well for up to six months. Plucked from the garden Soothe your hands and make your kitchen fragrant with these kitchen soaps imported from the south of France.

SINCE HIS son was born two years ago, three generations of men in Ernest Jones' family have had a standing Monday lunch date in his Northern Liberties kitchen. It's a way for Jones to spend quality time with his father, Joseph Jones, and son, Ernest Jr., while doing something he loves - cooking. "When somebody enjoys what you made, it's a gratification that goes way beyond the hours you spent preparing" it, said Jones who gravitated to the kitchen as a youngster. His mother is an expert at fried chicken, beef stew and fish and grits.

Makes 12 muffins Butter to grease muffin tin 1 cup flour 3/4 cup cornmeal 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 1 egg 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted 1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Grease pan with butter. 2. Mix together next five ingredients in a bowl. 3. Measure the milk into a glass measuring cup, add the egg, and whisk to combine. 4. Make a little well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture.

THE LUSTROUS beauty of a Terrence Malick movie reminds us that life on our compromised Eden is a precious thing. Too precious to spend in a Terrence Malick movie? In the case of "To the Wonder," I'd say yes. Malick's latest finds him retreating further from conventional character, story and dialogue, more determined than ever to indulge in his chosen aesthetic of collage, disembodied voiceovers and the barest suggestion of story. His subject in "To The Wonder" appears to be romantic love, although also on display are familiar Malick themes of a despoiled paradise presided over by a hidden and possibly indifferent God. His movies have made a slow march from the rural and the past to the urban/suburban and the present, and "To The Wonder" continues that process - it's the story of an American man (Ben Affleck)

This classic Irish quick bread - no rising time needed - lends itself to numerous creative variations. Traditional recipes often call for nothing but flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk or yogurt. Currants are a common addition, but that's just the start. Any number of seeds, nuts, chopped dried fruit, and even chocolate can be added. For our take on soda bread, we decided to have a little of everything. We started with a rich take on the classic recipe, studding it with currants and caraway seeds.

Makes 4 servings 2 tablespoons unsalted    butter, plus more    for greasing the    ramekins 2 medium cooking    apples, peeled,             cored, and diced 1 teaspoon pure vanilla    extract 2 teaspoons freshly    squeezed lemon    juice 3 tablespoons light    brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground ...

NEW YORK - The makers of Thomas' English muffins and Tastykake snacks are emerging as bidders for Wonder Bread and other Hostess bread brands as the company tries to sell off its assets under bankruptcy court oversight, a newspaper reported Saturday. The Wall Street Journal said Hostess Brands Inc. could announce as early as this week that Flowers Foods Inc. and Grupo Bimbo SAB are in discussions to acquire the bread brands, which include Nature's Pride. The report said the brands could command $350 million.

THURSDAY of course is Thanksgiving, and that means pressure to eat, eat and eat some more! Let me show you how to enjoy the day without falling over a nutritional cliff. Much like credit-card debt, the extra pounds gained from holiday overeating can take months to burn off. To keep your waist-management under control, follow these four steps: _ Have a plan: Make an effort to maintain your normal routine. If your gym is open on Thanksgiving morning, get there first thing and get in a good workout!

Makes 6 to 10 servings 1 medium pumpkin or    2 large butternut squash 2 tablespoons unsalted     butter 4 ounces honey 4 ounces crème fraiche Salt and pepper to taste For the vinaigrette: 1 stick unsalted butter 1/8 cup sherry vinegar 1/8 cup honey 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 loaf sourdough bread sliced 1/2 inch thick Olive oil 1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds ...

Makes 1 loaf of bread 1/4 cup milk 2 tablespoons dried    lavender flowers, finely       chopped or 3-4    tablespoons fresh    lavender flowers 2 cups all-purpose flour 11/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons butter, softened 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs Powdered sugar glaze (optional) 1. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; preheat oven to 325. 2. Heat milk with lavender almost to a boil, then let steep until cool.

When I tell people I make bread, they inevitably ask if I use a bread machine. That's like asking if I buy my pie crust in the freezer aisle. No. Never. For me, home-baked bread is more than a recipe. The process ties me to my Swedish great-grandmother, to my ancestors. The first bread my mother taught me to bake was Swedish rye, a bread that she serves on Christmas Eve as part of a traditional meal handed down from her Swedish grandmother. Filled with molasses, shredded carrots, orange zest, and bran, this rye bread is sweet and filling and tastes even better with a good slathering of butter.