$30 bread a bit rich - "They must have too much money."

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | September 8, 2002 | Eddie Fitzmaurice, The Sun-Herald

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Britain's upper crust are indulging themselves with the latest food fad -designer loaves costing almost $30.

The sourdough Poilane loaf costs 50 times more than normal brands, but its French bakers are confident it's worth every penny.

They claim the posh bread, which contains just flour, sea salt and water, has a superior taste and extra health-giving qualities.

In the UK it is only available from eight Waitrose supermarkets, at £9.62 a loaf, fresh from the Poilane bakery in London's Belgravia.

The bread, which measures 31cm across and weighs almost 9kg, is hand-kneaded and baked for six hours in an oak-burning oven.

The Poilane loaf is an institution in France, where it was created in 1932 by Pierre Poilane. The bakers insist the bread is not only the most expensive loaf on the market, but also the tastiest.

"Some doctors put my bread on their prescriptions," Pierre's son, Lionel Poilane, said. "It is certainly very healthy and good for the digestion."

David Smith, chief executive of the National Association of Master Bakers, added: "A lot of craftsmanship has gone into those loaves and people are prepared to pay for the skill of the baker."

He added that many people are today opting to bring expensive, decorated loaves to British dinner parties instead of a bottle of wine.

The crusty Poilane loaf is also a huge hit with the stars. Frank Sinatra had one delivered to wherever he was having breakfast. And, today, Robert De Niro and Lauren Bacall order shipments that follow them around the world.

But not everyone is lured by high-priced loaves.

"They taste the same to me," Joseph Hall, 75, a retired marine engineer from east London, said. "I've no idea why people would pay £10 for a loaf. They must have too much money."

[Looking for Diogenes]

Note that it is 30 Australian Dollars, or 15 American Dollars.
(1.5577 Pounds to the US Dollar)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thank you for clearing up the exchange rate. I was beginning to think the dollar had really fallen against the pound.

Now, is it they have too much money or that they're spending it in a way someone else deems obscene?

[Taiwan Bocks]

15 bucks for 9kg of bread sounds cheap enough.
That's less than a dollar a pound.
The three dollar loaves at U.S. supermarkets don't weigh much more than a pound do they?

Just too big is all! Anyone want to share one three ways?

[Looking for Diogenes]

I think that the '9 kg' is a typo. A 20-lb loaf of bread? That'd be something! At 4.2 lbs it is still hefty.

The Poilâne sourdough bread weighs about 4.2 Pounds. (1.9 kg). It has a thick, golden crust, and the inside is dense and light brown, with a slightly sour flavour. It is made exclusively with stone-ground wheat flour, sea salt and leaven. The Poilâne round loaf keeps for about a week and can be eaten fresh or toasted. It is delicious with all types of food, from the simplest (honey, butter) to the finest (foie gras, smoked salmon, etc.).
Poilane Boulangerie

Just like Robert de Niro, you can have one delived to you at home in the US for just EU 35.95 (about $35). (They're getting a good deal in England!)

[Guillermo]

Kind of reminds me of the show, that when they weren't selling any tickets, they raised the price of tickets from $40 to $400 and the remaining shows were sold out within hours.

[A. Pole]

The Poilâne sourdough bread weighs about 4.2 Pounds. (1.9 kg). It has a thick, golden crust, and the inside is dense and light brown, with a slightly sour flavour. It is made exclusively with stone-ground wheat flour, sea salt and leaven. The Poilâne round loaf keeps for about a week and can be eaten fresh or toasted. It is delicious with all types of food, from the simplest (honey, butter) to the finest (foie gras, smoked salmon, etc.).

Isn't the progress amazing? The rich will able to eat a normal bread which was a staple food in the past, while the poor will eat plastic wonder breads.