Pictured (l-r): Shelix Flores, Annie Cruz, Shannon Talty & Janice Brahm

          Bread Is the Starter

                    By Alicia Callanan Mandigo

   Perhaps there is some inherent quality in bread, the staff of life, that triggers philosophical conversations. It's provided sustenance to man for thousands of years, and yet one best selling diet book threatened to bring an end to bread. "How could something so wonderful, and so embedded in our history suddenly become an evil food?" asks Olde Hearth Bread Company partner Shannon Talty. That question, however, wasn't what prompted him to pursue opening his own bread company. For him, it was all about the bread itself. Or maybe it was the starters. Which came first is a causality dilemma to perhaps be discussed another day.

    The bread being produced by Olde Hearth Bread Company requires no debate. The breads are exceptional artisan breads crafted in a mostly hands-on process that uses natural starters for all of the breads. "We've tried introducing some automation," says Talty, "but we've consistently found that hands produce the best bread, resulting in a looser crumb and a better crust."

The South Florida native didn't grow up in a bread-centric environment. In fact, he graduated the CIA with no plans to do pastry, but after moving to San Francisco and taking ajob at the Acme Bread Company, he learned the wonders of artisan breads. Sourdoughs that jolt your salivary glands into action and fresh baguettes that taunt your nose can only come from natural starters. It's a slower process, but the resulting bread tastes better and doesn't dry out as quickly. The son of a food industry veteran, Talty began talking to his father about pursuing his own artisan bakery. A bit of legwork made them realize the Orlando market was wide open. He paired up with partner and artisan baker Janice Brahm in 1998, Olde Hearth Bread Company opened its doors as a retail/wholesale operation.

    Today, Olde Hearth Bread Company is strictly wholesale, providing breads and morning pastries to restaurants, hotels, catering operations and theme parks in the Orlando area. A member of the Baker's Guild of America, the company is a 24/7 operation with nearly 50 employees. It recently doubled the size of its facility, allowing Olde Hearth Bread Company to turn out 40,000 pieces of bread in a single day for the World Center Marriott Resort. It's pretty impressive volume for handmade bread. "We try to stay true with our ingredients. Our croissants are made with real butter. We use unbleached, unbromated flour because it has better flavor, and of course, we use natural starters," says Talty.

  Seeing as Talty began this adventure in San Francisco, where starters are sometimes passed down through generations, only he can say which came first--the bread or the starter. However, once you have one of his true San Francisco style sourdoughs in your hands, you might find the whold conversation moot, and turn instead to talking about having Olde Hearth Bread Company provide your property with a few loaves. You could even discuss having Olde Hearth Bread Company develop a signature bread, as it did for the Earl of Sandwhich. Whether philosophy or business, good bread does trigger a lot of conversations.

Olde Hearth Bread Company is located in Casselberry, FL. They can be reached at (407)834-8881 or online at www.oldehearthbreadcompany.com

Alicia C. Mandigo is a freelance writer in Winter Park

www.OldeHearthBreadCompany.com