New crop of lab-invented, chef-innovated breads will be making their way into Whole Foods stores thanks to a new partnership with The Bread Lab at Drexel University. Using recipes developed by renowned Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri and Vetri Head Baker Claire Kopp McWilliams, these new bread offerings focus on locally sourced ingredients, and are already available for purchase exclusively at Philadelphia’s newest Whole Foods Market location at 2101 Pennsylvania Avenue.
“We are thrilled to partner with The Bread Lab at Drexel University to create this new line of fresh-milled breads, now available in our store,” said Anastasia Sotiropulos, Whole Foods Market Regional Bakery Coordinator. “All involved in this unique collaboration—Drexel University, Chef Marc Vetri, and Castle Valley Mill—are more flavorful, natural foods and, together, we created breads that draw out the inherent features and tastes of the high-quality flour.”
A unique collaboration thus far for Whole Foods, the breads out of The Bread Lab at Drexel University utilize long-fermented dough from fresh-milled wheat, specifically flour from Castle Valley Mill in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Chef Marc Vetri and Vetri Head Baker Claire Kopp McWilliams chose Castle Valley Mill flour, as it is processed slowly and at cool temperatures on antique buhr mills, which then ensures that the flavor and nutrients of the grain are preserved, according to a press release.
“The Bread Lab at Drexel is an exciting new partnership with the Bread Lab at Washington State. Our Culinary & Food Science department along with Nutrition Sciences will work on how to integrate whole grains back into the diet,” said Rosemary Trout, Head of the Culinary Arts & Food Science Department at Drexel University. “They taste great, and the nutritional benefits are there too. Where Washington State has land and expertise in growing varieties of wheat and grains, we have high population density to distribute recipes, freshly-milled whole grain products, and cooking techniques to many people in the city. Taking an idea and translating it into a delicious and nutritional product is what we do best.”
Offered as either a bâtard or baguette, these new breads are all made from scratch by Whole Foods Market bakers. Each offering is also free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives, and hydrogenated fats.
“I am honored to be a part of The Bread Lab at Drexel University,” said Chef Vetri. “The recipes we created for this project are all about the quality of flour produced at Castle Valley Mill and bringing out its natural taste and nutrients.”
This weekend, Sunday, July 16, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., customers at the new 2101 Pennsylvania Avenue Whole Foods are invited to sample the bread and talk with Vetri Head Baker Claire Kopp McWilliams and Alexandra Zeitz of The Bread Lab at Drexel University.
