I can’t remember the last time I purchased a loaf of frozen gluten-free bread.  I used to buy a rice bread from the freezer section when I was first diagnosed, but I’ve since become quite picky when it comes to sandwiches.  It’s hard for me consider choosing frozen bread when I have access to fresh bread from FiddleCakes and Aunt April’s Bakery, and since it’s summertime, I have some extra hours to make my own.  A time is coming, way too soon, 25 days in fact, when I will be looking for a very quick way to make a sandwich as I fly out the door to teach school.  So many people have been mentioning Udi’s breads lately, so I thought I’d give it a try.

My first impression was that the slices were tiny, but I was pleased that despite their frozen state, they separated without breaking apart.  No chisel necessary.

After defrosting two slices in the toaster oven, I made a delicious turkey sandwich topped with basil, parsley, tomato, and avocado.  I don’t make a wimpy sandwich, so my gluten-free breads have to hold up.

So far so good.  I placed the second slice on top and began the real testing.  If you aren’t familiar with gluten-free breads, you don’t understand that the next step is crucial, and it’s usually where the first level of disappointment resides.  Typically, the bread begins to crumble when the sandwich is sliced in half, and hopes of a normal sandwich-eating experience fades quickly.

But the sandwich made with Udi’s Whole Grain Bread survived the knife.

However, the ultimate test is the first bite, and this is where the second level of disappointment is normally attained.  The avalanche of crumbs can be so intense that you end up eating more pieces of your sandwich off your plate with your fingertips than from the sandwich itself.  I stopped cutting my sandwiches in half and began eating them from a ziplock baggie so the crumbs would be contained.  But today, the first bite went off without a hitch.  So did the second and the third.  I was even able to hold the half-eaten sandwich above the floor without a plate as soon and Udi and I reached a level of trust.

No cascading crumbs.  No mess.  Just a strong sandwich that held together so that I could actually enjoy the TASTE of my lunch instead of fighting to get it down.

Hey, hey, hey!  Not for you!!!  Marcy and I still have trust issues to work out.

The sandwich was delicious, but I wasn’t worried about that with my perfect assortment of fillings.  The bread itself did taste good, not as wowing as freshly-made bread, but as frozen breads go, it tasted just fine.  I’ll definitely buy Udi’s bread again.  But I have 25 days of summertime ahead to bake a few more loaves myself.  Ah, summer.

Have you ever tried Udi’s bread?  What do you think of it?