What you are looking at is the world's most wonderful bread. It has a name - Demi- Baguettes and the label says "La Brea Bakery." I buy them at Costco. The LaBrea Bakery is actually in the San Fernando Valley but they distribute to fine outlets everywhere. I buy two packs of 6 at a time. I wrap each one in a plastic sandwich bag, put 3 "bagged rolls" in a Zip-Lock bag and toss it in the freezer. They come out one roll at a time.
Why do I write about the rolls I eat? About 4 years ago I developed a condition called "dysgeusia," which I think I've mentioned before. It means "impaired taste" and there is absolutely nothing that can be done to cure it. My case is not from medicine I am taking. It is "ideopathic" which means they don't know the cause. Through the whole first year I took my doctor's pronouncement to heart - "You won't have this your whole life. It will go away." Well, Dr. Lim, it is now in the fourth year and it shows no sign of abating.
I can't describe it except this way: If you took a cup of coffee, stirred in 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of salt, and then tried to drink it, that is what my morning cup of coffee tastes like. I can tell it is coffee by the smell, but by the taste it is just awful. Take that same taste and overlay it on every single thing you put in your mouth -- you'll know what I experience trying to eat. Some things I can eat but don't taste at all the way they should; other things I may try and have to spit out. I definitely cannot eat anything sweet. (Is that strange or what?) No fruits. No meats unless they are highly marinated with something like a creole rub, and then I can only get down a couple of bites.
Now you'd think that I'd be skin and bones. However, just about the only things I CAN eat are full of carbs. I ask my doctor periodically to do blood tests on me to make sure my lab results are not way out of whack. Needless to say this is a very depressing condition, but I'm here to tell you that each morning when I head to the kitchen for breakfast, I still look forward to the day. The reason is what I call my "bunny bread."
Each day I pull a demi-baguette out of the freezer, slice it and turn four slices into toast. These baguettes make the most wonderful toast I've ever had. I do not even need to put butter on it. (I used to, but finally I realized since I couldn't taste the butter why add the fat to my diet).
You will see by the picture above that the slices look like little "bunnies." (I know, I know!) The end slice is called the "bunny butt" and Jerry is particularly fond of those. But he likes "buttered bunny butts" so I always slather butter on his. I first learned of these rolls from my cousin Shirlee, when she came to the house laden with a bag of 6 rolls and a round of brie. The three of us sat at the dining room table and absolutely gorged ourselves on this decadent combination. That was when I still could taste. It's not so decadent anymore, but those rolls are really important to me in maintaining my sanity!
It's no fun to be dysgeusic, fer shure! You can read about LaBrea Bakery at WWW.LABREABAKERY.COM
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