California Eatin': Dutch Crunch in the Bay Area
Sandwiches, without exception, came on Dutch Crunch—as integral to a Northern Californian childhood as earthquake drills and year-round flip-flops.
We learn most about our hometowns when we finally leave them; it’s one of life’s funny quirks. Just as sharp contrast makes an image clearer, it is only by comparing ourselves to others that we begin to see the rich detail of our own everyday experience. Especially as kids—when our neighborhoods are, essentially, all we know—we rarely realize that the little aspects of life we take for granted just aren’t the same elsewhere.
And as with life, so too with food.
Growing up in the Bay Area, there was a single bread of choice for sandwiches. No, not San Francisco sourdough—lunches came on Dutch Crunch, as integral to a Northern Californian childhood as earthquake drills and year-round flip-flops. It wasn't until I left for college that I realized that this Platonic ideal of a sandwich bread just didn't exist anywhere else. Even Ed Levine, who sniffs out regional food like a pig does truffles, had never heard of it.
So what is Dutch Crunch?
So what is Dutch Crunch? It's a dense, doughy bread with a moist crumb, generally sold in sandwich-sized rolls or baguette-shaped loaves. But what sets it apart is the crackly top—with crunchy little bits growing from the paler crust underneath.
The bread is coated with a wash of rice flour, butter, sugar, and yeast. In the oven, the top crust splits and browns, giving us that distinctive streaked or spotted crust. Needless to say, the crunch is the best part of the loaf. Sweet and crispy, worth picking off and eating by itself, its only fault is a tendency to scrape the top of your mouth when you're taking a huge bite. But it's worth it.
Photos from Inuyaki.com and Rick on Flickr
Where Dutch Crunch comes from—and why it's virtually unknown outside of the Bay Area—is a matter of some debate. It's patterned after a Dutch loaf called Tijgerbrood, or "Tiger Bread," explaining the name. (The "Crunch" part is self-evident.) Still, San Francisco is hardly a Little Amsterdam—well, at least not ethnically—and I've yet to find an explanation for how this particular loaf of bread jumped over an ocean and a continent.
The San Francisco Chronicle traces the bread's Californian debut to 1909, at Galli's Sanitary Bakery,while others cite its appearance much later. But today, Dutch Crunch shows up everywhere from high-end city bakeries to a standard suburban Safeway. My own favorite sandwiches came from the Village Cheese House in Palo Alto, but there's plenty of competition.
Growing up, with an after-school athlete's appetite, my signature order was a none-too-dainty egg salad with cheddar on Dutch Crunch. I went through turkey and roast beef and veggie phases, but the bread never changed. And even when a hefty Cheese House sandwich was too big to finish, I'd never let a crust go uneaten—I'd leave a pile of egg salad on the plate, so long as I could leave room for that chewy, buttery, oh-so-crunchy roll.
Bay Areans, where's your favorite Dutch Crunch? And Bay Area expats, have you ever seen the bread elsewhere? This homesick Californian is dying to know.
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43 Comments:
I want this.
arm1970 at 2:12PM on 06/25/09
Great. Now I'm craving some Dutch Crunch. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it anywhere in DC area, but will definitely have to have some when I fly back to the Bay Area this summer!
queengwen at 2:26PM on 06/25/09
Wow I had no idea that Dutch Crunch was relatively unknown outside the Bay Area!
Growing up in the East Bay, I ALWAYS picked the Dutch Crunch roll for my sandwiches from Lucca's Deli in Castro Valley. I'm not sure where the bread is from, but it is very good.
The Dutch Crunch should be made more popular around the U.S. With its delightful crust and soft insides, this bread deserves to be more mainstream! =D
avocadoboba at 2:30PM on 06/25/09
I don't know if it's California-wide, but Vons/Safeways as far south as Ventura, CA regularly stock dutch crunch rolls
richm at 2:30PM on 06/25/09
This bread is widespread in England and is known as tiger bread. I'm sure you can guess where I'm off to now!
london_janice at 2:30PM on 06/25/09
I had never heard of Dutch Crunch bread until I moved to the Bay Area from LA a year ago. I had my first taste of it at Genova Deli in Walnut Creek. The name and the look of the bread lead me to think it was going to be better than it really was. I mean, it was good, but I guess I was expecting crunchier.
Now I feel inspired to try out some more places!
prncsjenny at 2:34PM on 06/25/09
Born and bred in the Bay Area, I know Dutch Crunch! Never eat it anymore but it's true, I ate a lot of dutch crunch sandwiches during the 80s and 90s. Love the Cheese House reference, have had many a massive sanwich from that place.
hungry dog at 2:39PM on 06/25/09
We used to get it all the time from the Belgian Pastry Shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It really was good for sandwiches. The crusty bits were fantastic when you toasted it!
mmmassey at 2:56PM on 06/25/09
I had no idea Dutch Crunch was a rarity! I wonder how it would work on a torta...
Burritowings at 2:58PM on 06/25/09
OMG Hot Pastrami Sandwich on Dutch Crunch at Genova's Delicatessen in Oakland nom nom nom
disneydreamscometrue at 3:03PM on 06/25/09
I have seen bread like that in the NE, it's called alligator bread here.
mepolo at 3:17PM on 06/25/09
I grew up in the Bay Area and have never heard of this bread.
JudgeFudge at 3:38PM on 06/25/09
Best Dutch Crunch is at Cheese N' Stuff in Berkeley at Durant and Telegraph. Yum!
wigiia at 3:40PM on 06/25/09
Aw man, I had totally forgotten about this bread. I grew up in the South Bay... now I'm going to have to find a recipe... nom nom nom
devlyn at 4:02PM on 06/25/09
There are some great little sandwich dives in South San Francisco that have the most awesome sandwiches on Dutch Crunch. I had never heard of this bread until I moved to th Bay Area - but it is now my favorite.
Dcarl1 at 4:13PM on 06/25/09
I've never had Dutch Crunch, but Wegman's supermarkets in the eastern states offer a "Marco Polo" bread that looks exaclty like that.
Jengraf at 4:19PM on 06/25/09
If you make your own bread, it's no effort to mix up the dutch crunch topping and do it yourself.
2 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tablespoons rice flour (look in the Asian section of a grocery store)
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/3 cup water (approximately), 100-110 degrees
Stir together the dry ingredients. Add the oil, then enough water to create a thick paste. Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes, until bubbly and doubled in size.
When the bread or rolls are shaped (but have not gone through the final rising), stir the rice flour mixture and spread an even layer over the bread. Rise and bake the bread as the recipe directs.
This makes enough for about 2 loaves or 6 large sandwich size rolls.
I think this recipe may have been from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook.
CatBoy at 4:59PM on 06/25/09
Yep, looks very similar to Wegmans' Marco Polo. I wonder if they evolved separately, or did one inspire the other?
zamboni at 5:15PM on 06/25/09
I also had no idea this was a Bay Area specialty - I first had it at a little deli in Belmont down the street from my high school, an Italian sandwich that included various sliced meats and pepperoncinis - yum. Next you'll be telling me that bay shrimp with dill-cream-cheese spread on sliced sourdough (the other sandwich I used to get at that place) is another NorCal specialty? :)
spikely at 5:28PM on 06/25/09
had no idea it was a bay area thing unless the koreans at Koryodang co-opted it somehow cuz I always pick this up in Manhattan's k-town (and at all their branches); the bacon dutch is a killer.
avisualperson at 5:28PM on 06/25/09
I'm pretty sure I've had Dutch crunch at a Togo's in SoCal. It is indeed quite good.
runnereater at 5:53PM on 06/25/09
@zamboni and @jengraf--I adore the Marco Polo bread from Wegman's (although I usually don't eat white flour)--that bread is very soft, as it is dusted with rice flour, and this looks more crunchy.
HeartofGlass at 6:17PM on 06/25/09
I was mystified by Dutch Crunch when I moved to Berkeley. It's nice to know it is a local thing, not something I had overlooked for the first 2/3rds of my life. I usually opt for DC when I get sandwiches, but have yet to get a roll with any actual crunch. Guess I'm picking the wrong sandwich shops.
KateC at 6:29PM on 06/25/09
@runnereater Togo's is based out of Northern California (San Jose specifically), so it's no surprise that they would have DC in many of their franchises.
That said, try out the Dutch Crunch at Mr. Pickles in Los Gatos -- http://www.yelp.com/biz/mr-pickles-sandwich-shop-los-gatos
unavaca at 6:59PM on 06/25/09
If you're willing to make your own bread, Peter Reinhart has a great recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice for Vienna Bread (which is a soft, sweet bread) that he suggests topping with Dutch Crunch. It's a winner.
appoggiatura at 7:15PM on 06/25/09
nothing is better than a smoked turkey old fashioned from Village Cheese House on Dutch Crunch. Sweet, crunchy bread. Tangy Pickles. Smokey meat. All brought together by the rich spread and swiss cheese. Damn i want one.
greggg at 8:41PM on 06/25/09
I ate my first dutch crunch and the deli in the barn at stanford shopping center
pamstar at 8:51PM on 06/25/09
forgot all about dutch crunch rolls! but i used to like them when i lived in berkeley!
cybercita at 12:16AM on 06/26/09
Ike's place in the mission. yummmmmmm.
tonks442 at 1:13AM on 06/26/09
Ohmygosh I used to always get tuna on Dutch Crunch at Le Boulanger but totally forgot about it when I moved to Seattle. Wow. Now I know I need to miss it here and sandwich ordering will never be the same.
Lilly Tao at 1:23AM on 06/26/09
Growing up, every special event, especially those Italian weddings that lasted 3 days, was graced with a large bag of dutch crunch from the Sanitary bakery. Definitely worth a trip to South City!
fiftycenthotdog at 1:49AM on 06/26/09
I didn't know Galli's possibly originated Dutch Crunch!
I dig ANY sandwich at Darby Dan's in SSF on Dutch Crunch. My friends who grew up in SSF swore by Little Lucca's!
Fresh, hot DC - my mom would stalk our local Safeway for a fresh loaf.
manda at 2:28AM on 06/26/09
I'm a Dutch girl and Dutch Crunch is one of my dearest childhood memories! Lazy saturday mornings, a short walk to the neighbourhood bakery for fresh Dutch Crunch breads....mmmmm. Still a very common and appreciated loaf in Holland!
Bucks at 8:22AM on 06/26/09
Another Wegmans fan here. Their Marco Polo bread seems quite similar to Dutch Crunch. I buy it every so often as a treat for the kids. Usually I make my own bread and rolls. I'll have to experiment and see if I can come up with my own version.
dhorst at 8:53AM on 06/26/09
I grew up eating Dutch Crunch rolls... in Wisconsin!
BangieB at 1:03PM on 06/26/09
@mmmassey Another winnipeger! WooT! Yeah, you can find dutch crunch in Safeway here from time to time, but in Thunder Bay Ontario where I went to school you could get it all the time. I just came back from groceries, now I want to go back and see if I can get a loaf of this for dinner, even if it is raining and the kids are down for a nap.
thepirateking at 2:11PM on 06/26/09
I was born and raised in Alameda county. Almost 7 years ago, we made the move to South Dakota for a job. Until just now (forgive me) I had completely forgotten about Dutch Crunch! Hey Dad, if you're out there...I know what I want for Christmas...and throw in some Best Foods too!
cpfoa at 2:22PM on 06/26/09
Now I'm inspired to find DC here in Orange County...I have friends in SF and I'll have to ask them to take me to sample Dutch Crunch the next time I'm in the Bay. Or...how well can this bread keep on a flight? I have friends on vacation in Amsterdam right now!
abinellah at 5:47PM on 06/26/09
I'll be giving Peter Reinhart's Vienna Bread w/ Dutch Crunch a try.
dmcavanagh at 12:28AM on 06/27/09
@mmmassey & thepirateking: dutch crunch is always available at the osborne village Safeway and at least sometimes at gunn's.
ctillman at 5:01AM on 06/29/09
I used to live in Bay Area and I loved these Dutch Crunch for my sandwiches. I moved to NY and almost forgot about this Dutch Crunch but thank you for reminding me for this wonderful bread. I don't think I have seen them here but I will look for it next time when I am at a bakery. I miss Bay Area!!!
mausi at 11:29AM on 06/29/09
Mr. Pickle's Sandwich Shops carry fresh baked dutch crunch bread. My favorite is the one on Watt and Whitney in Sacramento. They bake it fresh all day long, and it makes the absolute best tasting sandwich I've ever had.
Another excellent place to pick up some fresh dutch crunch is the Sanitary Bakery in South San Francisco -- they have been baking it for as long as I can remember!
Thanks for the info -- can't wait to try to bake my own!
LPutt at 6:20PM on 07/07/09
Dutch Crunch is the best you can get when it comes to sandwiches. The best place to get a GREAT! sandwich is at Ike's Place on 16th off of Mission (Castro). The best sandwich I've ever had!
foodfan80 at 2:14AM on 08/31/09