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Inside Market Hall

The Midwife & The Baker Bread at Market Hall Bakery

03 May 2018

The Midwife and the Baker: two of the world's oldest professions

The Midwife and the Baker breads represent the kind of artisan, food passion projects that we adore at Market Hall Foods. Jaime Shapiro and Mac McConnell (the “Midwife” and the “Baker,” respectively) acknowledge that they have two of the world's oldest professions, and their devotion to simplicity and tried-and-true, hands-on techniques are apparent in their breads. Each loaf is special, carefully thought out, and the taste is second-to-none.

The process: freshly-milled wheat on an as-needed basis

Mac—former instructor and alum of San Francisco Baking Institute—grinds his wheat on an as-needed basis with a stone mill, reducing waste and ensuring a long shelf-life for the bread itself. He then uses this whole wheat flour and natural sourdough starter to produce moist breads that are fresh and digestible, as they are additive-free. On his website, McConnell explains that "it's simple. I like taking the whole berry, grinding it, fermenting it, and turning it into a highly digestible, beautiful bread."

Market Hall Foods is honored to be the only grocery location in the East Bay that offers The Midwife and the Baker breads. The Midwife and the Baker has been featured in The San Francisco Chronicle and Food & Wine Magazine, and has won numerous awards, like Best Specialty Bread at French Morning's Best Baguette San Francisco 2017 competition. 

The flour and the bread: grain sourced directly from California farmers

100% Whole Glenn Wheat Loaves

Glenn Wheat is a hard red whole grain wheat grown here in California. A strong wheat with good protein content, this heritage variety makes a bread with solid flavor and color. The dark brown color of the wheat berries is passed along through the whole grain milling process, giving the baked bread a dark color and a strong, wheat forward flavor.

Only a few ingredients are the base for these loaves: freshly-milled (on site) whole grain Glenn wheat, water, and sea salt. The dark aromatic crust gives way to a soft moist interior, and the natural sourdough is mild so that the cereal flavors shine through.

Sesame Loaf: An abundant amount of sesame seeds are used to create a crunchy crust and add a nutty flavor.

Walnut & Currant Loaf: Toasted walnuts and currants give a rich and sweet flavor to the loaf.

midwife baker flours crop

Whole Grain Organic Sonora White Wheat Loaves

These sourdough loaves are made with 40% fresh whole grain organic Sonora white wheat and rounded out with organic bread flour.

Sonora wheat is one of the oldest wheats grown in North America. It is known as a landrace grain (which are ancient, pre-hybridized varieties of grain that have adapted to their biological environment). It is sweet, nutty and rich in flavor. Lower in gluten and high in protein, Sonora is great for baking  and grows well in dry conditions.

Country White Loaf: The lighter colored sourdough hides the fact that it is made with such a high percentage of whole grain flour. With a rich crispy crust, a tender interior and tangy sourdough flavor, it is one of our favorite Levain style breads.

Seeded White Loaf: A traditional pan loaf for sandwiches or toast. Whole toasted sunflower and flax seeds are added to the inside for texture and crunch. Ask us to slice it for you!

Olive Loaf: Large chunks of juicy pitted Kalamata olives are added to the dough, resulting in a very savory loaf.

Chocolate Sourdough Loaf: Chocolate chips, cocoa powder, honey and vanilla added to the dough deliver a deep chocolate flavor. Perfect as is or toast and slather with butter and your favorite jam.

KAMUT® Flour Baguettes

KAMUT® flour is a kind of khorasan wheat (originally from Egypt). A trademark was registered for the wheat in 1990, ensuring quality and the use of non-hybridized varietals. KAMUT® is an ancient grain and its flour is nutty and buttery—perfect for The Midwife and the Baker's baguettes! The grain is rich in protein and has a higher fat content than other wheat. KAMUT® flour is also higher in magnesium, vitamins B and E, selenium and zinc than some other strains of modern wheat.

KAMUT® Baguette and Demi Baguette: These sweet, French style baguettes have a silky texture, and (because of the KAMUT®) are buttery and nutty even before you smother it with butter. The full-sized baguette is still tender enough to eat the next day, as the freshly-milled flour ensures a longer-shelf life.