The sense of smell, more than any of our other senses, influences our ability to recall past events and experience. Fragrance is considered one of the most potent mediums for conjuring up a memory. True enough, one of the most enduring sensory memories of my youth is associated with the amazing aromas that greeted me each time my mom baked bread in her oven.
We also were able to experience olfactory orgasms and sensory sensations in the bakeries of England where we lived for three years. Alas, the singular joy of incredible yeasty bouquets wafting through the air is one younger generations may never experience.
That’s because individually owned bakeries have been replaced by corporate behemoths interested more in mass production and profit. That’s why I’m so thrilled that Albuquerque finally has a Great Harvest Bakery (launched in 2004) which still bakes bread the old-fashioned way. Using premium wheat berries from America’s “golden triangle” where North Dakota, Montana and Canada meet, Golden Harvest kneads its bread not by machine, but by hand where tender loving care is best possible.
Among the first and best breads we discovered is the Nine Grain which is reminiscent of the granary bread we fell in love with in England. The Nine Grain bread may find its genesis in healthy fiber, but it’s incredibly delicious and the closest we’ve found to the granary bread served in the Mermaid restaurant in picturesque Burford (one of England’s treasures).
For a great sandwich creation or breakfast toast, a wonderful alternative to traditional white bread is the cheddar cheese bread with a sharp cheese and buttery taste.
If you don’t feel like crafting your own sandwich, Great Harvest will do it for you, offering grilled panini sandwiches served warm as well as full flavored cold sandwiches and classics such as ham and cheese. Among the panini, my early favorite is the spicy smoked turkey and pepper jack sandwich, a two-fisted sandwich that bites back.
A great dessert offering is the six inch orb called the “snickerdoodle”, a sugar cookie imbued with genuine goodness.
Resurrect your olfactory senses at this wonderful bakery!
Great Harvest Bread Co
11200 Montgomery Blvd NE # 4
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 293-8277
LATEST VISIT: 8 December 2004
# OF VISITS: 3
RATING: 19
COST: $$
BEST BET: Nine Grain Bread, Cheddar Cheese Bread, Snickerdoodle Cookies