Good morning. A few editions ago we covered the triple batch of rice protocol. Today we have a similar concept but with bread. Even if you don’t eat a lot of bread, it will help you think through making multiple meals around one ingredient.

RECIPE BREAKDOWN🤯

Keeping frozen bread around

While fresh bread is a staple in many cultures, we’ve noticed some of our audience isn’t taking full advantage of bread’s versatility in meal prep.

How to do this protocol:

1. Bake or buy: Choose sturdy loaves that freeze well—think sourdough, whole wheat, baguettes, buns, or rolls.

2. Prep for storage: Slice your bread before freezing. This allows you to grab exactly what you need without defrosting the whole loaf. Store slices in freezer-safe bags or containers.

3. Refresh as needed: Frozen bread thaws at room temperature overnight or can be warmed quickly in a toaster, skillet, or oven.

When you’re ready to make a meal, bread is an excellent starting point:

• Versatile dinners: Toast slices for tartines or bruschetta. Use thawed bread for sandwiches, grilled cheese, or croutons in salads and soups.

  • Try this panzanella recipe, for example.

• Fast lunches: Warmed buns and hoagie rolls can become burgers, chicken sandwiches, or deli style subs in minutes.

• Hearty breakfasts: Slather with nut butter, top with eggs, make avocado toast, turn slices into French toast, or make a croque madame.

With a little forethought, you can turn frozen slices into filling meals. Frozen bread is just another staple that helps reduce cooking friction and keeps you from having to run to the store yet another time.

RECIPE RECOMMENDATIONS ✅

Use up that bread…

On the side or as a sandwich, check out some ways we use bread to build satisfying meals:

FOOD TRENDS 🚀

Steamed eggs

Are steamed eggs actually good?

Steamed eggs are popular in China, Korea, and Japan, but have been making their way into Western counties. They have a silky and smooth texture that is reminiscent of eating custard.

Why is the trend catching on?

• It’s a great way to switch up how you make eggs. Anyone can do it at home with a heatproof bowl and pan setup.

• It’s a high-protein meal that works at any time of the day, especially with savory toppings. Traditionally, steamed eggs are served alongside meals like Korean BBQ or by themselves with toppings like sesame oil, soy sauce and green onions.

A variant of steamed eggs is the espresso-steam-wand eggs (which have gone viral a few times). These have a different texture from traditional steamed eggs: the wand injects both steam and air into the eggs, which sets them into a much flufflier, cloud-like structure. For anyone who has tried this — can you confirm if it ruins the espresso machine or not?

We’re curious — what’s your favorite way to make eggs?

READER Q&A 🧠

Blueberry pancake problems?

Answer: Try adding in the blueberries halfway through cooking instead of straight to the batter. Wait until you see small to medium bubbles to know the batter is setting, add the blueberries, then flip the pancakes.

• You could try using fresh blueberries instead of frozen ones. The frozen blueberries have extra water that will melt into the batter and might contribute to undercooked spots.

• Alternatively, try tossing blueberries in flour first. This will help the blueberries not sink to the bottom or become mushy.

These tips apply to any other topping, not just blueberries. For those that want to understand pancake batter better, check out our all-purpose pancake framework here.

Have a culinary question? Reply to send it in for a chance to be featured and get your question answered.

WINNING READER SUBMISSION 🏆

Fried chicken plate

This week’s dinner winner is Jason B., who made fried chicken and mushroom gravy over rice.

Reply with a picture of the best meal you made this week for a chance to be featured in a future email.

EXTRA HELPINGS 🍽️

A read: Can You Swap Light and Dark Brown Sugar?

In a minute or less: The Best Cream Cheese Frosting

What we’re watching: Why Recipes are Holding you Back from Cooking

Food science: Deglazing

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