In defense of 'pine cone' bread


I'm in "training" for a little knee surgery next week, and by "training" I mean keeping my caloric intake below normal. (Carefully avoiding the word "diet.")

Which brings me to the subject of pine cone bread.

I had never heard the term till yesterday, when I gathered with some friends for lunch and brought out my peanut butter and peach on whole grain bread sandwich.
(No, not peach jam, actual slices of fresh peaches--yum!)

I happened to mention how much I love super-grainy bread and how my daughter, a vegetarian for years now, considers it gritty. I simply could not imagine how anyone couldn't like the crunchy concoction.

And that's when my friend Natalie said that when she and her sister were kids they would beg their father not to bring home any "pine cone" bread. I nearly spat out my bite at that point. (Natalie has a way of delivering the most original and hilarious lines with little warning.)

But I digress.

I've also heard whole-grain yumminess referred to as twigs and bark. What is it with the comparisons with trees?

Maybe it's an astrological thing. I'm a taurus and apparently like things earthy. But perhaps those less attracted to the ground prefer to eat something more akin to sliced clouds.

So in defense of bread of an arboreal persuasion, let me say that:

(1) It's beautiful. Seriously, just look at the amazing texture and doo-dads on a slice.
(2) It takes strength to eat, giving your jaws a workout, thus burning extra calories.
(3) It's filling. I can eat a piece of pine cone bread and be satisfied for at least 2 hours longer than if I ate a similarly sized slice of cloud bread.

But I won't quibble any further.

Suffice it to say that I shall relish my beautiful pine cone bread + peanut butter + peach sammies as I "train" for the next 9 days for a lateral release.

And may those who prefer more fluff enjoy your own little slices of heaven.



Images by katiew , stephendl , and adineland 

Comments

Unknown said…
Hi Kathleen,

Well, I'm a pine cone bread fan! We always buy 'seeded' or granary bread. I'm just about to tuck into some for my lunch.

So, tell us Kathleen, what would you normally have for lunch if you weren't in training?!
darsden said…
I am a fan too of grainy.. haven't ever tried pine cone bread.. But I love my Oatmeal Nut bread :-) esp on chicken salad sam mict ches
Rudee said…
I love all bread. What's going on with the knee?
Unknown said…
LOVE pine cone breads for all the reasons you mentioned!

Hope you're going in for the less invasive surgery and not knee replacement. Take care.
Renie Burghardt said…
Hmm, I rarely eat any bread, but pine cone bread, which should be all fiber, might be worth a try! I do make my own flax seeed bread which is very low in carbs, but not in the summer.

Keep training!

Huggies and blessings,

Renie
ellen abbott said…
I too am a taurus and I love 'pine cone' bread as well. A bakery here does an muesli bread which is just full of great stuff.
Natalie said…
Hi Kathleen!

I think the "pine cone bread" thing started due to my Grandpa's predilection for bridge mix. When we were kids, he'd bring bridge mix over to our house on Sundays. We LOVED it - all of the surprise raisins, nougats, jellies. What we didn't love were those huge, woody, chocolate-coated nuts that manage to find their way into every bag. My sister and I hypothesized that they were pine cones, and naturally, they were shunned. Soon enough, we started seeing comparisons in the nutty, grainy, seedy bread my dad brought home.

I'm a Leo - a sun sign - so my head and appetite lives in the clouds. Can't wait for my stick of cotton candy at the fair this year:)
Nice! And I've never thought of pnb and sliced peaches. Love it...I use apples that way all the time and now have something new to try.
Kat Mortensen said…
I'm a Cancer on the Gemini cusp (but I don't really believe all that stuff, really). Anyway, the grainier the better as far as I'm concerned, but I draw the line at "Red River Cereal" which tastes like birdseed.

Kat
Grace Albaugh said…
Just popped in for a little reading. It's been too long.

I'm with you Kathleen. The more grains the better. So satisfying! And the peach slices with peanut butter is brilliant.

Mmmmm I think I need a sandwich.
donatella said…
I would have to thank you for informing us that there is such a thing as pine cone bread. Well, to begin with, whole grain breads are really healthier and more filling than their smooth counterparts. But I do understand your daughter's sentiments about not liking whole-grain bread. Not only are they gritty, but their taste seems like a cross between ground cardboard mixed with some burnt morsels of nuts and thyme, or whatever.
Sandi McBride said…
YES YES YES!!! In praise of real bread!!! It's taken years but finally my family looks askance at white sugary bread and reaches for my 18 grain to make a sandwich! Well done!!! Congrats on Post of the Day nom!
Sandi
Anonymous said…
The grainier and seedier [?] the better for me...makes me believe I am doing myself some good as I slather on the runny, smelly cheeses I adore.
POTD mention, congratulations.
Mimi said…
I prefer pine cones to clouds, almost all the time.
Congrats on POTD!
Unknown said…
Kathleen, congrats on POTD! I just loved this post; an honor so well deserved.

Hope you're well.
erin said…
Hi, I just wanted to say I love "pine cone" bread. My kids don't like it, though. However, they don't have a choice. About once every six months I buy some Sunbeam white and give them a treat. Today I'm going to try the peanut butter and peach. Enjoyed your blog!

http://unicyclemomm.blogspot.com
Hilary said…
I totally agree. And my kids, now adults (for the most part) don't consider anything else to be real bread. You just can't compare the flavour. Congrats on the POTD.. I followed the scent of freshly-baked bread over here from David's. :)
Kim said…
I'm with you, the grainier the better! Congrats on the POTD. WEll deserved!
That is so wild! I have been enjoying a similar sandwich delight!

PB, grainy bread, fresh peach slices and, are you ready, organic raspberry preserves!!! Yum-oh!

Nice POTD award!
Willow said…
I came from David's blog's POTD. Congrats on the nomination.

I live in your camp. The grainier the better! I'm a Pisces. Must be the sand.
Sande said…
We love our "goobly" bread too. My five year old for ages could not be convinced it wasn't a fruit. See, his science lesson taught him that anything with seeds in it was fruit not vegetable.
Kathleen said…
Derrick: why twigs and bark, of course!

Darsden; YUM!

Rudee: lateral release

Natalie: Ah, yes, the sky. Love the elaboration on the pine cone bread image.

JGW: And it's almost apple season. w00t!

Poetikat: Red River Cereal--is it available in the US?

Grace: Make that two?

Jane: Thank you!

Erin: Smart momma! Glad you enjoyed the blog!

Hillary: So glad you followed the scent! Nice to have you here.

Kim: Here's to "gritty"!

Comedy Goddess: Great minds?

Willow: Ha! Sand = gritty!

Sande: Goobly bread. Love it!
Kathleen said…
Donnatella: Too funny! A cross between ground cardboard and other goodies. I'll have to let the Bakers know!

Sandi: 18 grains is quite impressive!

Moanie: Oh dear, now I'm hungry again!

Mimi: I'll drink to that!

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