Something smelt good

I was on the lookout for spelt bread. For those who are unfamiliar, spelt is an ancient variety of wheat that tends to be easier on the digestive tract than the wheat of today. The grocery store where I usually bought spelt loaves had stopped carrying the only style I liked—and although I enjoyed the taste, it was always dry and generally crumbled under the weight of a butter knife.

My mother, who knew of my spelt bread dilemma, heard a woman at work talking about House of Bread and how she was relatively sure you could place an order for spelt on Mondays. My mom relayed the info to me, and in less than a week, I was on my way to House of Bread during my lunch break to sample the spelt wares.

I usually pack a lunch on Mondays, but having run out of time that morning, I was pleased to learn House of Bread prepares sandwiches. I wouldn’t have to make a second stop.

House of Bread is open seven days a week. There are bread varieties baked fresh and offered daily, like Grandma’s White Bread ($3.99), honey whole wheat ($4.15), apple cinnamon swirl, basil parmesan and garlic cheddar. Then there are those varieties offered only one or two days a week: marbled rye, pesto artichoke sourdough, oatmeal, potato rosemary, etc. I’ve also heard that the employees at House of Bread are more than accommodating, so if you’d like a loaf of jalapeño spelt bread, which isn’t typically made, you’ll probably get your wish if you call in advance. Prices per loaf range from $3.95 to $5.95.

The sandwiches ($5.50) are basic, but that doesn’t stop them from being wholesome and tasty. You can choose between white or whole wheat bread, cheddar or Swiss cheese, then ham, turkey or roast beef. The only other options are mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce, onion, tomato and pickles. I had turkey and Swiss on wheat with all the toppings except for tomatoes. The turkey was in rugged one-eighth-inch slices and was piled on thick. The bread was soft and chewy and, despite seeming as though it could hardly contain the abundant inner ingredients, maintained its integrity.

I had intended to buy just the spelt, but when I saw Jalapeño Jack bread, I couldn’t pass it up. That night, before bed, I toasted a slice. It sizzled when I took it out of the toaster oven. I smeared it with butter. Between the oiliness of the melted Swiss and the warmth of the jalapeños, it was a very soothing pre-sleep snack. Even the bites that didn’t contain jalapeños were peppery and warm.

The wedge of spelt I toasted and buttered for breakfast the next morning was better than I thought spelt could be. It was supple, dense and perfectly sweet. House of Bread sweetens everything with honey instead of sugar. You can buy jars of Nevada honey there, as well. The bakery doesn’t use preservatives, and the majority of the baked goods contain no oil, milk or eggs. Aside from bread, it offers muffins, scones, cookies, brownies, raspberry pinwheels, cinnamon rolls and espresso drinks.

House of Bread will cater to your lunch provisions, your sweet tooth and all of your other staff-of-life needs.