Jan 21
2011
“You can travel fifty thousand miles in America without once tasting a piece of good bread.”Henry Miller

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Southern California.  It was unusually warm, the sun was out, and the sky was clear and bright blue.  After taking one look outside, I knew that I needed to get the girls and I out of the house to spend some time in the sunshine.

I decided it was the perfect day to get started on a new project I’ll be working on with Panera Bread for the next few months, so I took the girls to our local Panera and met up with my awesome intern Kellie for a lunch out on the patio.

While we were there I grabbed a loaf of their White Whole Grain bread.  I’ve been craving some good bread for a while.  I haven’t been making much bread lately because my Kitchenaid mixer died, and I just don’t always have enough time to make bread entirely by hand.

The loaf of bread sparked a conversation about the lack of good bakeries in the US.  If you’re lucky enough to live in a larger city, you may have access to good bakeries, but many of us live in areas where the only bread available to us comes from a supermarket bread aisle.  If you are fortunate enough to have a good bakery in town, it’s likely to supply a selection of cookies, cupcakes, and cakes, but less likely to sell artisan breads.  I know what it’s like to have constant access to good artisan bread.  Having lived in France and Japan, I’ve learned the joys of being able to walk down to the corner for a loaf of freshly baked crusty bread in the morning—the kind of bread that needs to be eaten quickly because it doesn’t keep, due to the lack of preservatives.  Although I love to make my own bread, and love eating it even more, it’s not always realistic for me to make our bread.  I’m grateful that I do have a Panera nearby.  At least I have one source for delicious artisan freshly baked bread made onsight daily.

I continued contemplating the bread conundrum when I got home.  I sliced into the loaf I bought and treated myself to a Nutella Fruit Tartine—a simple treat, but one that never fails to put a smile on my face.  Tartine is a French word for what is traditionally an open-faced sandwich.  For my Nutella Fruit Tartine, I toast a slice of bread, then spread on a layer of raspberry or strawberry jam, followed by a layer of Nutella.  Then I top it with fresh berries or banana slices.  Good bread is a necessity.  Good bread provides the perfect vehicle to carry the mix of fruity and chocolate to your mouth.  Now go treat yourself to a slice of love.


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Nutella Fruit Tartine

Makes 1 serving

1 slice of bread
1 tablespoon strawberry or raspberry jam
1 1/2 tablespoons Nutella
Fresh berries or banana slices

1. Toast the slice of bread.

2. Spread the jam over one side of the bread, then immediately spread the Nutella over the jam layer.

3. Top with fresh berries or banana slices and eat!

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* DISCLOSURE: I’m writing this post and creating this recipe as part of a project with Panera Bread.  They have compensated me for my time and expenses, but my opinions and tastes are my own.

{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }

Kathy Gori January 21, 2011 at 11:59 am

I love good bread and was baking artisan bread every week for a while. I am a total bread slut. Anyway I’m lucky enough to live in a very small town (Sonoma) with some of the best bread on the planet. I know this because one of the guys at my local farmers market is on the International Baking team. I look forward to seeing what you’re up to (as always) and thanks to you and Bellalimento I bought my first jar of Nutella the other day..not that I haven;t eaten it before..oh I have I’ve just never trusted myself enough to have a jar of my very own

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Lauren from Lauren's Latest January 21, 2011 at 1:22 pm

Panera Bread is a great company to work with! Plus all there bread is just to die for. Technically, I’m a carboholic but, still! Love love love Panera Bread!

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Alayna @ Thyme Bombe January 21, 2011 at 2:28 pm

Agreed, good bread is hard to come by. Nutella would make a slab of cardboard taste like heaven though!

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Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen January 22, 2011 at 5:58 am

That is the 2nd time this week that I’ve heard that Nutella and raspberries go well together. Why have I never thought of this before? I’ve been eating Nutella since I was a kid and it never crossed my mind to try it with jam.

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Fuji Nana January 22, 2011 at 7:50 am

Love the banana heart. Yep. I’m needing a piece of that bread/jam/nutella/fruit combo for breakfast right about now.

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Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) January 23, 2011 at 3:08 am

Anything with nutella on it…is off to an amazing start :)

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Ellen January 23, 2011 at 3:36 pm

I love Panera Bread Bakery. I Take the family there all the time.

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Mrs. Jen B January 23, 2011 at 6:30 pm

Oh, how fabulous! We always have strawberry preserves in the house…with Nutella? Why did I never think of that? Once again, you’re a genius.

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Barbara Bakes January 24, 2011 at 6:16 am

I’m pretty jealous of that California sunshine. Sorry about the Kitchenaid. I would be lost without mine. The tartine sounds like a fabulous way to enjoy your great bread.

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Cookin' Canuck January 24, 2011 at 3:48 pm

So simple and I’ll bet this is so good. I agree that good bread is a necessity – it makes a simple sandwich into something irresistible.

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marla {family fresh cooking} January 24, 2011 at 6:27 pm

Rachael, this is such a fun project you are working on with Panera Bread! Those heart shaped bananas are adorable. You intern seems like such a sweetie. Need to get together soon, OK?? Miss you girl, feels like it has been ages since we connected… xo

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Paula - bell'alimento January 24, 2011 at 6:31 pm

definitely a bella nutella bite ; )

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sippitysup January 26, 2011 at 10:04 am

You know I live in the big city and guess what. There’s no good bread here either! We do have a Panera nearby, but I have never been. GREG

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Kim January 26, 2011 at 1:07 pm

Aww, how cute! I too, underscore the value of having a bakery close to home. My favorite is a little Vietnamese shop down the street that makes fresh baguettes everyday. You actually have to eat them by around 3-4PM, or they’re no longer good!!! Love, love, love how fresh it is!

[K]

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Quyen - Kitchen Runway January 27, 2011 at 11:12 pm

Such a simple but satifying treat! I always have a jar of nutella on hand — it’s always so good on a slice of warm toasted bread. Love the banana heart!

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Kayla January 28, 2011 at 4:51 am

This totally reminds me of my childhood days. Absolutely delightful! I used to spread jam and nutella on bananas as an afternoon snack. I loved how my mom used to broil the banana for a short while. It’s a pity I won’t get be able to try it with bread, since I’m yeast-intolerant!

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Bren January 30, 2011 at 10:14 am

i have two jars of Nutella staring at me in my face. Perhaps they want me to exploit them! And maybe I will! :)

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