Mediterra

You see before you a loaf of bread which causes me to hope that a better day has come for bread in Pittsburgh. You may have heard me moaning about the underbaked pallor of even the best breads on offer here in town. You may have also heard me praise some rolls I had at the Cafe at the Frick, which I was told came from a place called "Mediterra", or something to that effect.

I recognized the name on the bag, and brought some home to try. This "country bread" is 50% darker than anything I've seen locally to date. It is not quite dark enough for my personal taste, but a look at the informative bag indicates that their "signature loaf", called "Mt. Athos Firebread" is very dark, better the second day, and keeps for a week. Sounds like my kind of bread. Sadly, this great sounding item was not among the selections available at the Smallman Street Deli today.

This deli, newly relocated to Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill, but keeping its Strip district name, looks like it may be promising as well. It just opened, and I haven't tried it yet, except to look around, and buy the bread. It certainly seems like my neighborhood, which has a large Jewish population, deserves a proper deli, which it has arguably not had for many years. I intend to return when its been open for a few weeks and check it out.

In any event, my loaf of "country bread" is really delicious. Quite sour, but not overboard, nice complex wheaty flavors. The texture is closer grained, with smaller holes than my favorite, more open-holed rubbery style, but this may help it last, and make for nice toast and sandwiches. They suggest that it may be frozen, and cooked for for 20 minutes at 350, after defrosting or to freshen it. I'm going to freeze half, and check that out, but I'm wary. Usually I'd rather eat bread that's a little stale, in preference to freezing it. The other half of my test loaf is going cut side down on the breadboard, and we'll see how it lasts.

This bakery seems to be located in the South Hills, outside of my reasonable bus trip range, but also sells through retailers in the city. I'm going to see about requesting that one of them stock the Mt. Athos loaves. It is clear to me that these people are capable of producing better bread than I can manage at home. That's what I've been hoping for.

Addendum of woe: I returned to the new deli today (9/28) for some more good bread, and it was nowhere to be found. I asked the person in charge when they were getting more in, and he said they probably weren't getting it again, because it didn't sell well! After being open 1 week! Is this what you have to do with a great product? Develop a market in one week- with no advertising- or you're out? No wonder everyone keeps making the same old mediocre things over and over again, with only slight variations.

I told him that I had come especially for the bread, and he said, "Oh, well," and pointed me to some rubbery mass market rye in a plastic bag. The Mediterra website names a number of other retail outlets, but none are in my neighborhood. My hopes are dashed for now, I guess. Rats.

Comments

[zp_alabasium]

And frankly, your story doesn't bode well for the Deli either. Which I was approaching slowly, as I do all restaurants in Pittsburgh . . .

[RichW]

Mediterra is tough to get to, it's in an industrial park off Parkway West. But they have a storefront in the Strip which I believe is open Fri/Sat.

We use Mediterra Bakehouse exclusively for our panini and bagels (they use a traditional water bagel recipe which is uncommon around these parts - great texture). For the panini we're currently using Mt. Athos and both the plain and onion ciabattini. We're adding a panini built from the rosemary foccaccia later this month.

You can also get Mediterra breads at Uncommon Market on the Mt. Lebo/Bethel Park line on Rte. 19. They've usually got the Mt. Athos, rosemary focaccia, Paisano loafs, Farm loaf and ciabatta on hand.

I think Nick mentioned that they're also in Whole Foods now.

I moved here from the Northeast and had a hard time with the Mancini legacy around here... found Breadworks to be OK, but when Nick opened Mediterra, that was like manna from heaven. Couldn't recommend it more highly.

[lindy]

Thanks Rich- I'll make the effort to get to the strip on a Friday or Saturday-I usually do my shopping there on weekday lunchtimes, hopping a bus from work. So I never spotted it. This is really good news! Do you know approx. where in the strip it is?
Their website said it was carried at Prestogeorge, but I stopped in, and didn't find it there.
I had a look at your website, and Aldo's sounds great. I am not often in Mt. Lebabon. as I live in Squirrel hill, work downtown, and don't have a car. But next time I am there, I will be certain to visit your fine looking place. Thanks again for the hint.

[Bakerina]

Oh, Lindy,

I was lucky enough to snag a Mediterra baguette on my last trip to Pittsburgh in 2003. It was easily one of the best loaves I'd ever eaten, and it gave me hope that there was a market in Pittsburgh for the kind of bread I wanted to make. But it sounds like it's still an uphill climb, getting folks who use Mancini's as the gold standard to take a darker, chewier bread seriously.

(Not to dump on Mancini's further, but, um, I will: Do they still have their second retail outlet in the Strip? The people I met there were very nice, and they obviously love their jobs, but oh, those pale beige crusts! For an eggshell, it's a nice shade; for a crust, not so much.)

[RichW]

Well... they HAD a storefront there that was open Fri & Sat. But looks like they're no longer operating from the Strip, at least at the moment. Must be growing pains. Gotta think they'll have some presence in the Strip again in the not too distant future.

[lindy]

Rich- I went looking, and discovered it wasn't there. they have a few loaves at Prestogeorge on Fridays only.

Sigh.

[Omar Higley]

I don't think Mediterra in the Strip is happening for now. The location it was supposed to open in is now Cafe Richard (an upscale deli), owned and operated by the former head baker at Mediterra, who departed recently.

As for a dark caramelized crust in Lindy's neighborhood, you may want to try Allegro Hearth's Tuscan, Traditional Rye, or a new battard that we are trying out. As the new owner for a little over a year now, I would like to know what you think.

BTW, Whole Foods carries quartered Mt. Athos bread, and I agree that it is delicious. But if you think we are expensive...

[lindy]

Omar-I am especially interested in the idea of a batard with a dark, carmelized crust. I will be in soon to try it, you bet.
Thanks for stopping by.

[David Flippen]

I am stuck here in Albuquerque, NM with nothing but faux bagels and bagel stores. I am in dire need of a good Pittsburgh bagel recipe. A long time ago, when I would visit friends in town, we would always go to Squirrel Hill to buy bagels. They were the best I have ever put to mouth. I am interested in recipes that require par boiling ( I guessing it is generally referred to as "watered bagels").

Would someone please take pity upon this bagel starved westerner and supply me with a REAL bagel recipe or two.

Thank you

[NICK AMBELIOTIS]

I stumbled on your blog and loved what I read. thank you for the support
if anyone reads this we are at farmers at the firehouse between 22 abd 23rd
street in the strip every Saturday

[KH]

You can find the Mediterra breads that youmention at Whole Foods in East Liberty.