If you've been in Cambridge over the past 20 years, you know the Iggy's trucks by sight with their blue-green globe, peace sign + heart and 'bread of the world' tag line. Their bakery locations have always been a bit harder to find - from their small start in Watertown in 1994 to their current facility hidden tucked back behind Concord Avenue near our (equally hard to find) Annex location.
We have been selling Iggy's bread in our shop since they started baking and today we continue to sell a variety of their breads, bagels and croissants. When they contacted us about a few new breads they were working on, we were excited to hear about it. Over the past year or so, they have been developing recipes for breads made with heritage grains sourced from local farms (and some from a mill in Canada). They have settled on three loaves each with distinct flavor profiles highlighting their healthful wholegrains.
Each bread is made using flour from 100% ancient grains - organic khorasan from Quebec, organic spelt from Maine and purple wheat sourced from a mill in Saskatchewan. The dough is naturally leavened with a long-fermented starter and goes through a cold fermentation of 14-16 hours before proofing and baking. As these flours are naturally lower in gluten, this long fermentation helps develop their structure, as well their flavor. Start to finish, we are talking about a process that goes well over 30 hours - truly a labor of love!
Iggy's is producing three loaves:
100% Khorasan - a blend of organic white and whole Khorasan wheat, both in the starter and in the dough itself. This bread has a very sweet and nutty taste, and a golden hue. It has a delightfully moist crumb and a light, crispy crust. This is a great, healthy daily loaf for the family that everyone can enjoy, where the sweetness of the grain almost makes you forget you are eating a naturally leavened bread!
Purple Wheat with Pecans - a blend of white Khorasan wheat and 50-70% whole purple wheat flour. This is a hearty loaf perfect for pairing with cheeses, but is also delicious toasted. The sweetness & nuttiness of Khorasan wheat and pecans is perfectly balanced by whole purple wheat which has a slightly bitter finish. The bread has a deep purple color that makes it particularly attractive alongside your favorite cheese plate.
Spelt - uses whole, organic spelt from Maine blended with organic white Khorasan. This Spelt loaf is sweet, yet tangy and earthy at the same time. It has a beautiful open structure and a hefty crust. It is a quintessential bread of the moment, naturally leavened with roughly 50% whole grain content and a deeply flavorful finish that lingers. It is made for artisan bread lovers looking for a bread showcasing the natural beauty of this grain.
We are beginning to sell these breads on a limited basis. They are available at both our South End and Cambridge stores. To be sure you get your loaf, please call ahead. 617-350-6996 for the South End shop and 617-354-4750 for Cambridge.
We will have these special breads available seven days a week. We hope you love them as much as we do!