Food - Drink
Ciabatta Bread Was Invented To Spite The French
By MATTHEW SPINA
Ciabatta certainly seems like something old-fashioned, and looks like exactly the kind of loaf you’d expect when you think of the word “rustic.” But as far as classic Mediterranean food goes, ciabatta is actually pretty new, and that is likely because it’s a bread born of market competition just as much as tradition.
In 1982, Italian bread makers had a problem — crusty French baguettes were gaining popularity throughout the country as a preferred sandwich bread over Italy’s native ones. According to The Guardian, baker Arnaldo Cavallari created ciabatta to replace baguettes, and, because of its looks, named it after the Italian word for slipper.
Cavallari quickly licensed out production of ciabatta and it expanded to markets outside Italy, with Cavallari himself traveling the world to teach bakers the recipe. By the late 1980s, ciabatta became prevalent in the U.S. and the U.K. thanks to its crunchy, airy appeal and wider shape that was perfect for deli meats and sandwiches.
