I was compensated by Panera to write this post. However, all opinions are my own.
Everyone knows that Panera makes bread and that they do a darn good job of it. How do they do it? Is it just that they have super fancy ovens? Is that they have lots of experience? What is it that makes their bread – and the rest of their food – so stinkin’ good?
They use the best ingredients available to them. All-natural, fresh ingredients. (And, okay, the fancy ovens and experience do help as well.)
I have a few recipes on this site where I mention that you should use the very best ingredients that you can afford for the best taste. The best chocolate, the freshest butter, it all goes a long way towards making your final product come out amazing.
I love that Panera gets that. So many other franchise restaurants don’t.
I feel confident eating there. I’m not concerned that their chicken maybe isn’t really chicken or that their bread has been sitting around for a few days before they decided to serve it to me. I’m confident that they are doing their very best to provide me with a nutritious, delicious, fresh meal made from all-natural ingredients.
You can check out The Baker’s Table on their website for some fun facts about bread and to watch their head chef whip up a loaf of Rosemary Sourdough bread.
And you must, absolutely must, go check out their Ode To Bread facebook page. Submit your own ode to bread and your words could be featured in their upcoming USA Today ad. Plus, the “odes to bread” that have already been submitted are fun to read. Some of them are downright funny.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a sudden craving for some fresh Panera bread.