New York City's Exceptional Bread Selection Includes Offerings from Hotel Restaurants
Max Blachman-Gentile, a Tartine alum with a strong background in artisanal bread and baking, has expanded his culinary horizons to The Standard East Village hotel in New York City. His bread program, showcased at the hotel's restaurant and café, offers a variety of loaves that are packed with nutrients and flavour.
One of the standout breads is rugbrød, a Danish rye bread that is brimming with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, steel-cut oats, and other wholesome ingredients. This bread can be enjoyed as toast with runny yolks or toasted enough to become crackers for a cheese board.
In addition to rugbrød, The Standard offers a selection of breads including baguette, malted milk bread, traditional sourdough, high-extraction miche, and Blachman-Gentile's unique kasha varnishkes-inspired sourdough loaf. The kasha varnishkes-inspired loaf is made by adding a porridge with the flavour profile of kasha varnishkes into the dough, creating a truly innovative and delicious addition to the bread menu.
The day's loaves typically come out of the oven right around noon, ensuring freshness in the evening. The breads are available daily from 1 to 9 p.m. in the Standard Cafe.
Max Blachman-Gentile's bread retailing process at The Standard is a more sustainable selling process than his previous one. The majority of the flour used comes from Small Valley Milling in Pennsylvania, Farmer Ground in upstate New York, Maine Grains in Maine, and Four Star Farms in Massachusetts. The flour is milled fresh to order or has been milled very recently, within two to three months.
Blachman-Gentile's artisanal bread program in New York City is a testament to his commitment to quality, heritage, and traditional baking methods. His work blends flavors from New York City kitchens and Bay Area roots, using traditional artisan techniques and heritage methods, often baking with specialized equipment like Moretti Forni gas ovens.
By using this method, Blachman-Gentile is debunking the notion that bread is bad for your health. The slow, natural fermentation process used by Blachman-Gentile results in bread that is easier to digest and nutrient dense. For instance, the briny umami from the chicken fat pairs well with a B.L.A.T. sandwich, making it a healthier and more flavourful option.
Blachman-Gentile gained popularity in New York by selling bread from Tørst, a Danish beer bar in Greenpoint. His work at The Standard continues this tradition, offering a unique and delicious bread program that is sure to delight guests.
- Max Blachman-Gentile, with his expertise in baking, has extended his skills to interior-design elements within The Standard East Village hotel, creating a cozy and inviting environment for guests to enjoy global-cuisines.
- Apart from offering a variety of loaves for food-and-drink pairing, Max Blachman-Gentile's bread program also extends to lifestyle choices, as he implements eco-friendly practices in his retailing process of freshly-milled flour from local farms.
- In the fashion-and-beauty realm, Max's artisanal bread program resembles the concept of a master chef – meticulously blending traditional techniques with innovative twists, such as creating a kasha varnishkes-inspired sourdough loaf that adds a unique flavor profile to its bread menu.
- As the day unfolds, Max Blachman-Gentile's bread program at The Standard ensures a healthy-cooking option for guests, serving nutrient-dense loaves, like rugbrød, which is packed with wholesome ingredients and can be enjoyed as a toast or a cheese-board accompaniment, promoting a balanced and delicious lifestyle.
