OK, anyone know how a bread bin/bread box works?
 

Since I've been baking more bread at home, I found it usually was no good the next day. So I bought a bread bin (I think they are called bread boxes in the US), viz:

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/pub...AuwownfRpl1KGs

And now a home made loaf is good for 3 days.

But, I have no bloody idea how it works and google doesn't seem to have anything that explains the reason it works. Wikipedia only says:

Breadboxes are thus designed to:
Keep their contents at room temperature, prolonging edible storage time.
Have a lid loose enough to allow airflow, reducing condensation, which helps to prevent the formation of mould
Have a lid tight enough to protect their contents from mice and other pests.

Well, it is at room temperature on the counter, as well as on the counter in a bread bin so bollocks to that.

I don't have mice or other pests so bollocks to that.

And it's not going mouldy, just stale and hard if it is not kept in bread box.

So, I am still at a loss as to the actual reason how/why it works.

Any sciencey people understand it?

whatt?
 

you pull the lid up?

Now see here. What you REALLY need is one of these...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg
A Progressive International Adjustable Bread Keeper






....and no. I'm not sure why.....




.:2 cents:

Something to do with it not drying out I suppose.

But it has holes in it!

I DON'T UNDERSTAND...

Because it is kept dark?

My Mum has one of those and hence it was what I was going to get. But my lady friend explained to me patiently that it wouldn't "go" with the kitchen. So she carefully selected one that "went" and is now happy.

Phew.

I think it's because it's keeping the right amount of moisture inside but not being so air tight that it's causing the condensation that would cause molding. It's just the right size and sealed just enough to do the trick.

Aha, like mushrooms? That explains why you don't get mushrooms growing on your bread.

Hang on, no it doesn't.

You can buy the same type of 'paper' bags bakeries use.

- bake bread
- put bread in bag
- put bag in bread bin

That makes sense. Please accept a prize of a sexy hug from me at the Montreal show.

I read on one site that the bags cause condensation and you're better off putting it straight into the bread bin.

But, I read that on the interwebs, so it might not be true.

I haven't seen them recently but growing up I remember that most kitchens had a deep drawer with a sliding metal lid for just this purpose.

No clue how or if they worked, we stored candy in ours.

Finally a real biz thread!

I've been afraid of bread boxes since I was a 19.

My friends parents where out of town and we were using his house for parties. One night, when we were done smoking, we put the considerable amount of weed in the bread box for safe keeping.

We promptly forgot about the weed until his father came home and made a sandwich.

The upside is that his father than started selling us weed. Nobody knew he was a dealer and he didn't know his son smoked.

I guess the moral of the story is just about everybody smokes weed.

Should have splurged on a wooden one. Kinda a like humidor - but for yeast-based products. Your bread will be moist for a week (but the crust gets soft :( )

bread box chat now? What has the adult biz come to... :error:helpme

there was a thread actually needed for this? :)

Unless you put the bread in the bag when it's still warm, that shouldn't be a problem.

We're too poor to buy bread.

I blame myself for this thread - I have made you all a bit gayer and now you sit around worrying about your kitchen accessories.

Meh, I'm quite gay apart from the whole fucking men bit. I go to salsa dancing, I cook, I even use MOISTURISER after shaving!

:)

Your a 'Metro-sexual' - Its like being gay without the fun bits:upsidedow...

Racist! :disgust:disgust:disgust:disgust:disgust

The reason it 'works', is because you bought one...

Good story! LMAO

No.

Actually, you just need one of these. Thank me later.

http://i49.tinypic.com/a1pyeh.jpg

Those high tech gadgets leave me befuddled as well.

.

I have the same problem with women. How big can you get them?

Try putting it in the fridge and see how it lasts.

Couldn't tell you why it works. Only reason I have one is to keep the damned cat from gnawing through the bread bag like a bloody rat.

Look into Debbi Meyer green bags and bread bags. I use them, and they work. I get a week easily out of a loaf of home made bread.

sorry I couldn't think of a deeming condescending line to go with this, but here is an asnwer...

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4898102...ead-fresh.html

Seriously? U just pop it open and there you go

I'm having trouble taking this seriously, but I can understand how you might not be able to find a good explanation searching.

I make bread (in a breadmaker) all the time as well as pizza dough, cinnamon buns, etc. I don't keep regular bread in the house, so I have a little experience with how to keep it fresh. So here's the skinny as I know it -

1) A bread box works by reducing the moisture loss by containing and limiting the air flow.

2) A plastic bag will work better, except you cannot put fresh bread in a bag right away - you will get tonnes of condensation which will end up back on the bread and make it soft/slimey/prone to mold. It has to cool completely first.

3) Put your bagged bread in the fridge for even more longevity.

Bread Goes Stale About Six Times Faster in the Refrigerator than at Room Temperature
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index....m-temperature/

stick a loaf in it already ............. :sleep

This thread just makes me want the delicious complimentary bread all steakhouses serve.

I'm not sure I believe that, considering they actually don't cite any evidence whatsoever, and their best explanation is 'dehydration'.

Either way though, if you need your bread to stay edible over a longer period, the fridge is the way to go. It'll keep in a bag on the counter, but thats the one that will start growing something first.

The sources are at the bottom of the article. The freezer is good, but you'll find the bread manufacturers always say to avoid putting bread in the fridge as bread goes stale faster at fridge temperature. The fridge will delay mold however.

"It's best not to store bread and rolls in the refrigerator, except in very warm weather, as this makes them stale much faster."
http://www.kingsmillbread.com/nutrition/storage/

"Avoid storing bread in a refrigerator. The average temperature of most domestic refrigerators is about 41°F (5°C). This is the temperature at which bread stales most quickly. One day in the refrigerator is equivalent to three days at room temperature."
http://bread.com/content/keeping-bread-fresh

"We don?t recommend that you store bread in the fridge as it will dry out."
http://www.cobsbread.com/WhatWeBake/TipsAndTricks/

"Don't put bread in the refrigerator. Scientific studies have shown that this draws out the moisture and the bread becomes stale faster. This happens from a process known as "retrogradation", which simply means that the starch molecules crystallize"
http://www.wikihow.com/Store-Bread

ask mythbusters

use that dry stale bread to make french toast

Pick up a nice wood one at the Thrift store for $3. :) That's what I did and it works great! I can bake a loaf before bed, leave it in the box to vent off, and in the morning it's ready to throw in a bag if I want to.

Also remember that bread freezes well, just pre-slice, ziploc bag it and it thaws quickly.