Why do restaurants serve bread..?

[cuffthis]

to soak up the sauces.

Think KFC - instead of finger lickin' good, the sauces are bread/roll soakin' good.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by romafan

I think your wife is correct as far as Italians are concerned. Italo-american = bread +pasta. I also like to sop up good sauce w/ some bread (vongele, ftw!)

I think that my distributor at the time was a peasant from sicaly, and he taught me bad manners. but I still love soping up sauces with bread.

 

[Hany]

If you are really hungry and jump directly to the heavier food you might develop a huge pain. However, if you eat bread it will prepare you to the main meal so that you don't eat on an empty stomach.

 

[nerdykarim]

Originally Posted by cuffthis

to soak up the sauces.

Think KFC - instead of finger lickin' good, the sauces are bread/roll soakin' good.

This is my position as well.
I'm not nearly as gentlemanly as the iGents.

 

[Tarmac]

In America it has basically turned into something cheap which the customer can still appreciate. Customer's think of it as a free appetizer while the restaurant paid less than 35c per table for it. It reduces the complaint of "dagummit Ennis, this place has small portions!"


It typically doesn't reduce how much the table orders because patrons order while still hungry, or even before the bread arrives in many cases. And you know how Murricans love to take **** home in a bag because "dagummit we are so full rot now!"

As for whether it is served in Europe, I honestly don't remember if it was brought out in restaurants I went to in Germany, France and England. I didn't go to any michelin type places though.

 

[why]

Originally Posted by Bouji

As far as I know, I cannot say that many Italians eat potatoes.
Ever heard of gnocchi? (Side note: I've yet to meet an American who pronounces this correctly.) EDIT: late.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

I think that my distributor at the time was a peasant from sicaly, and he taught me bad manners. but I still love soping up sauces with bread.
My entire family does it and they're all native Italians dell'Abruzzo. As for pane e coperto: it's just marked in Italy like gratuity is sometimes here. Italians generally don't give la mancia at most places so there's extra charges.

 

[RyJ Maduro]

Originally Posted by why

Ever heard of gnocchi?

(Side note: I've yet to meet an American who pronounces this correctly.)

Nyo-key, right?

 

[VKK3450]

Originally Posted by Bouji

........

So I next time I go to Alain Ducasse, I will sit down and expect nothing but good ordinary claret, pain de menage and some Roquefort?

WTF?


I think Waitrose has a sort of house wine called "Good Ordinary Claret". Tried it?

K

 

[poorsod]

And here I thought bread was a vehicle to eat salted butter. Mmmmmmmm. Salted Butter.

 

[Bouji]

Originally Posted by VKK3450

I think Waitrose has a sort of house wine called "Good Ordinary Claret". Tried it?

K

At its price, I love it.

Do you know its a rip off of Berry Brothers and Rudd's 'House' wine?

 

[Bouji]

Originally Posted by why

Ever heard of gnocchi?

(Side note: I've yet to meet an American who pronounces this correctly.)

EDIT: late.

Sure, Gnocci is a primi, and the contorni may not include starch.

So, my point stands, an Italian meal without a primi and a tradtional contorni would not include carbs/starch; hence bread may be needed.

 

[arlee]

Originally Posted by Bouji

It seems like this is expected and never questioned.

In certain cases I can see the reason,

Central/South Asian cuisine- Unless you're eating rice, that is what the food is eaten with; unlike western cuisine, in these cuisines its used 'to scoop it up', not accompany.
Italian cuisine - If you don't have a 'primi' then the meal can lack carbs and not be filling.

As far as French/British/American/Spanish/German/Fusion/Haute/whatever cuisine goes, I really cannot understand the concept of bread...


so you can make a sandwich with it

 

[ryoneo]

So that everyone can "break bread". Plus bread is one of the oldest foods that just about every culture has.

 

[countdemoney]

I always thought it was the french who did not eat a meal without bread.

 

[VKK3450]

Originally Posted by Bouji

At its price, I love it.

Do you know its a rip off of Berry Brothers and Rudd's 'House' wine?

Didn't know that. I'll have to try the BBR one.

K