Travelogue: Thom’s Bread

Arrived in York County, Pennsylvania a few weeks ago, but I didn’t feel inspired to tell you much about it — I do like to my secrets — until today, when I discovered in Lancaster a place called Thom’s Bread.

They sell bread.

I also picked up a muffin and a brownie, and I could’ve gotten pizza, but the whole point of what I’m about to tell you is the bread. Not the cinnamon bread. I haven’t tried that yet. I may make French toast for breakfast. I want to tell you about the rosemary olive oil bread and what I did to it.

It was fresh. It was so fresh, the guy — presumably not Thom, but I didn’t think to ask — said we shouldn’t put it in a plastic bag just yet. Give it some time to relax and become fully conscious of the world in which it lives.

I took a bread knife from Brian Keene’s knife block, and I cut into it like a man who knows what he’s doing. Spoiler: I only think I know. I’m not an expert. I’m merely more than a beginner.

I cut slices out of that bread and introduced them to a skillet.

Not just any skillet. This skillet had moments ago cooked meat in a little oil. I added butter, let it bubble and sizzle a bit — but I didn’t brown it, though now that I think of it I wonder if that would’ve been a good idea — and coated one side of the bread quite thoroughly. Then I flipped it, so the other side could bathe in that buttery goodness. I sprinkled it liberally with garlic powder. Then I added a layer of grated Parmesan cheese. I then used the spoon to press the cheese into the bread — all while the bottom side was beginning to crisp.

That was my cue to flip it, and let the cheese side crisp, as well. Parmesan cheese on the skillet actually sticks to the bread if you leave it long enough — not very long, as this whole thing took maybe two minutes to accomplish.

In the end, the bread was delicious, and you are writhing in jealousy at the fact that you did not have a slice.

Thank you, Thom’s Bakery, for providing the perfect bread to make this delictible treat.