Fresh Artisan Sourdough Breadness is a pleasure like no other. But if there is one thing that stands between the purchase and your palate, it’s the slicing of the bread. The physical qualities that make our breads what they are, the crust and the crumb, are what present the most challenge to consistent, non-destructive slicing. The crust is a hard, protective layer and the crumb is the soft interior. Cutting the bread so as to preserve the crust and the crumb requires a worthy bread knife and a bit of technique. After trying several brands and price-points, we picked this particular bread knife as the perfect balance of quality cutlery and value.

Once purchased, this knife should only be used for cutting artisan sourdough bread. This will extend the life of the knife. As for the technique for slicing a loaf using this knife, there are two options:

1. On a sturdy cutting board, slice the loaf in half with a gentle sawing motion. When you get to the bottom crust, pick the loaf up and bend it back and forth at the bottom seam until the two halves break free. From here, you can slice one half, cut-side down, which will be easier to slice now that the bottom is mostly crumb. The other half of the loaf and any uncut bread from the first half should be placed back into the zip bag and sealed. Arrange the unused portions in the bag so as to have the cut-side down against the counter or table for storage.

2. If you wish to cut full slices instead of half slices as in #1, on a sturdy cutting board, hold the loaf on its edge and begin slicing from the end with a firm but gentle sawing motion. The loaf is much thinner this way and will slice easier than bottom-side down. The end of each slice has the smallest amount of crust to cut through. Place the unused portion of the loaf back in the zip bag and seal it. Place it cut-side down on a counter or table for maximum freshness