Bread Storage

For crusty breads, I throw them into paper bags. When I'm smart I save the paper bags from local bakeries, but when I run out I just wrap my breads up in grocery bags. It isn't pretty, but it works.

I should also add that it is hard to keep a basic french bread fresh that long. I figure 2 to maybe 3 days before the loaves are ready to become garlic bread or croutons. Sourdough loaves keep a couple of days longer, and larger loaves and rounds keep better than baguettes.

I tried the brown bag and I was not pleased.  Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap (Saran) making sure it's sealed and it'll stay fresh for a good long time.  I had one loaf sitting around waiting for me to take to my sister's housef for almost a week.  By the time I got it there, it was still fresh.

Steph

I leave my loaves, cut side down, on the cutting board. They seem to stay quite fresh, at least for the three days or so that I have them. If I've baked into rolls, I tend to put into a plastic bag, expecting the soft crust. I have a wood bread box, but it does not seem to keep bread as fresh as my mother's did.

Hi there,

 we have only two in the household,and live in a high humidity area of the country,  so a six cup AP sized bread last too long, or abosorbs too much humidity.

So after the first day of gorging, I slice and freeze it in zip lock for future meals in the week that call for bread.

The day it is in use, I leave it cut side down on a cutting board.  

Regards from southern mexico 

I got this cool vacuum bread box that works really well.  If you go to www.qvc.com and key in K3466, you will see it and a good description.  I usually put a loaf of bread, 4-6  rolls and a few English Muffins in it, unwrapped, and they stay pretty fresh for up to a week or so.  There is a little drying toward the end of that time, but I have never found mold or an off-taste.

Nancy

I have been baking bread for over 10 years.  I use the plastic bags because my husband likes the crust soft.  However, I belong to a birthday club with a group of ladies and I take a loaf of bread to the birthday girl each time.  I found in doing so that when packaging their bread it last longer than that which I keep at home.  I believe the reason is that it is not sealed like it does in the plastic bag.  I use a loaf sized party cellophane bag that I get at Wal-Mart in the party goods.  Now this is not the secret.  I believe the secret to keeping it fresh is letting it breath.  I close the bag with 2 strips of tape and finish closing the end with a sticker that says "Homemade by SueLynn".  I also freeze bread when I see the first little spot of mold.  I pinch a chunk out where the mold is.  This makes great bread pudding.
SueLynn