Delicooks

> Francesc Altarriba

Francesc Altarriba is preparing ta photoshoot for the recipes that accompany this interview. A talkative dynamo, he’s eager to get across to us his vision. And he’s off. In the world of bread, there’s still so much to be done!

What do you mean?
Bread has long been underrated. It is part of our gastronomic culture, the
basis of our diet .... And yet, it’s still seen as a second-rate product. Bread
consumption has fallen in recent years. Some attribute this to negative
publicity (it’s fattening, etc.).. But I think it's because the quality has fallen.

But isn’t there something of a renaissance for quality bread?
In a way yes. There are some great professionals out there, many of them
new. But they’re still minority.

And what is the solution?
To dignify bread, to give it the attention it deserves, to be innovative when
it comes to promoting bread, to focus on bread from another perspective.

You’re championing the figure of a bread professional that doesn’t
quite exist.
Exactly, a professional who knows bread and knows how to treat it in the
restaurant. Not a baker, but someone who knows how to keep it, serve it,
pamper it ... The term I’d use would be pannier, but the name doesn’t really matter. Call him Paco if you want.

Like a sommelier for wine?
Exactly. And it doesn’t have to be someone dedicated exclusively to bread,
but a restaurant professional who, among other jobs, will worry about it. It
will be his or her responsibility. There are many types of bread and each
has its function, requires a different treatment and all this can be time
consuming. It’s a complement on the table, no more, no less. And we need to respect it more. Look!. Francesc grabs a long and somewhat flat bread, a kind of ciabatta. He cuts it lengthwise and then in slices. He serves up half the bread in a pretty dish, the other in the usual basket).

See the difference?

Clearly
The customer pays for the bread just like other dishes, such as wine,
water ... It deserves to be served with the same respect. If I pay for a bottle of wine, they’ll open it in front of me, decant itif necessary, serve me ...right? If I pay for bread, I want you to be served correctly: I paid for it!

How did you get started in this?
Through my family. My father, my grandfather ... We are a family of bakers in Manlleu. I studied business in Barcelona. When my father got sick I started working at the bakery and there I learned all the techniques. I can tell you anything you want to know. Although I'm more interested in the discourse of bread. Making good bread is easy, many can do it well.

But is that all we want?
Your world is quite a wide one, right?
Yes, I have several companies related to bread. We have bakery at street
level, we make bread and sell products to make bread, we have a
consultancy and a gourmet bakery that produces bread for restaurants. I
try to offer a comprehensive service.

So you must offer a lot of types of bread!
I produce over 600 kinds of bread with my own ingredients. For example,
oatmeal bread: no one else makes it. There is none on the market.

Is there always bread at home?
Yes. At home I always have bread stored in the right conditions.

Do you keep dry bread?
Like all products that are past their date, I don’t save it I might sometimes
keep just a little and use it to make toast or bread crumbs for batter ...

A quick question. A bread for a barbecue.
One with 80% water.

For a romantic dinner
A selection of small rolls. Nuts, fruits ...

For a meal with friends
Sliced, rustic bread.

For a sandwich
Coca style bread

For day to day
White bread

To share
Black bread. This is a tribute to the movie Pa Nagre. This bread is a
symbol of the postwar period, the hard times of scarcity, but also
generosity, sharing food ... So we make a cut down the middle, so we can
break it with our hands and share it.

As a gift
A large loaf, 2 kg, like in the old days.

For a trip
Mediterranean chapatas

One last question. Can you give me an easy recipe with good bread?
Look, a brie cheese sandwich in a grain bread (black bread, for example)
wrapped in foil to take to the beach. Perfect to eat warm with the heat from the Sun.