London`s Poilane Bread Boutique
With a regular clientele consisting of the likes of Nigella Lawson and Sean Connery, Poilane has carved its name on the culinary map of London`s finest bakers.
Located on Elizabeth Street in the heart of Belgravia, Poilane originated on the fashionable rue du Cherche-Midi in Paris. The shop is an exact replica of its French counterpart. It`s simplistic, free of gimmicks and smells adorable as soon as you walk in!
The speciality of the house is sourdough, which is thick crusted, handmade and baked daily on site along with other delicacies such as rye bread; nut bread; raisin bread; brioches, croissants, pain au chocolat and the famous Poiláne apple tart.
The uniqueness of Poilane`s bread relies on two factors: first is the unique texture, flavour and versatility, and secondly the bread is made exclusively with wheat flour, ground by stone milling and leaven. It is then shaped by hand and baked in wood-heated ovens. According to poilane, `thanks to this method, the bread contains hundreds of micro-organisms essential for good health. The Poiláne bread is also far easier to digest than most bread as the natural fermentation breaks down the gluten, unlike other bread where the gluten remains. Subsequently, doctors often recommend Poiláne bread (sourdough bread), to patients who have digestive disorders or allergies`.
It`s not cheap… but how can 3% of Parisiens be wrong I ask!
A loaf costs £4.20 per kilo and on average weighs 1.9 kilos.