Rustic Boule

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MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH BREAD began in New Orleans. I grew up on the modern conveniences of white sandwich bread, and Sunday dinner fare was pop-and-serve crescent rolls. I landed in New Orleans as a college freshman and felt like I was an exchange student in a foreign country. When I ventured out into the French Quarter, I found the Central Grocery, an Old World Italian grocery store. I discovered its world-famous muffuletta sandwich, set on a round, relatively flat Italian loaf, and it awakened a palate I didn't know existed-for real bread. Some people remember their college years fondly for the academic challenges or just the thrill of coming-of-age. Among the things that I remember most fondly was the heritage and unique cuisine of New Orleans, particularly the bread. for years, I tried to make gluten-free versions of French and muffuletta bread. New Orleans bread has a thin, crisp crust that crinkles when it cools, and a soft, airy interior. The distinct balance of crust and crumb is hard to match, and many speculate that baking it below sea level creates just the right temperature and humidity conditions. Although it has a crust reminiscent of peasant bread or pane rustica, the crumb is light and filled with air bubbles. This isn't quite New Orleans muffuletta bread, but it is well worth the effort.