Teaching Old Bread New Tricks

Philosophers have long posited that it’s our capacity for abstract thought, creativity, and language that makes us human, but I’d like to argue that it’s our capacity to make bread. Yes, bread; the very bedrock of society, the foundation of nearly all cultures, found globally in every shape, size, color, and flavor imaginable, is the true demarcation between man and beast. Archaeological evidence from over 30,000 years ago, places flour, believed to have been made into unleavened flatbread, on our timeline.

A Bevvy of Breads

That’s all to say, bread is very important. And, for all its permutations, bread is still evolving, even after emerging from the oven. Leftover, excess, or “stale” bread, to those less resourceful, is simply primed for its next permutation. Before we consider recipes, let’s not forget the basics. There’s no excuse for tossing a day-old loaf when you could transform it into:

  • Breadcrumbs
  • Croutons
  • Crackers
  • Soup thickener

The Upper Crust

Basic culinary know-how and rudimentary techniques honor bread’s enduring utility. For the more industrious, there’s no such thing as too much bread. Embrace your own humanity, and embrace bread. Here are a few of my favorite suggestions for reviving old loaves, and more.

Best Recipes To Use Up Stale Bread

There's no such thing as too much bread! Revive old loaves, flatbreads, and more with this diverse range of sweet and savory recipes.

11 thoughts on “Teaching Old Bread New Tricks

    1. Thank you! I’m glad I can highlight some recipes otherwise lost to the archives. It’s been a while since I thought about some of them, too. If you do give that soup a try, I’d love to hear what you think!

  1. Wow! Whoo knew you had so many delicious recipes on your website for using up leftover bread. Thanks so much for compiling them into one easy post for reference. Must give the Hong Kong Toast a try!

    1. Honestly, I was surprised too! So many of these are from years ago; I tend to forget what a treasure trove I’m sitting on here!

  2. I love how you turned something most people toss out into all these clever, cozy dishes, it feels both practical and a little bit magical. The way you write about it makes you want to raid the bread bin and start experimenting right away.

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