Ok, Boz, "artisanal breads" are small-batch produced specialty breads such as Sourdoughs, Farmhouse wheats, Ciabattas, Baguettes, Brioches, Ryes, etc.,that are prepared fresh with great skill. The secret to artisanal is the dough starter. A little dough is saved from every batch made to start the next. This passes the original yeasts along through countless "generations" of bread. Some artisanal bakers buy their starters from your boulangeries, and patisseries in the Old World. Those yeasts can date very far back in time. Artisanal is not factory mass-produced and frozen doughs baked in a supermarket. And it's not bakery fodder made without starter and only uses today's yeast. It's the highest form of bread making and well worth the extra dollar.

You're oh so welcome Christa, and I'm a total sucker for the Kalamata Sourdough, as well as Pecan Raisin Bread.

Yeah, the "artisanal" term is not trademarked, so scoundrels such as Quiznos can make their phony claims in their ads. Of course, Quiznos has troubles of their own: they required their franchisees to buy their ingredients exclusively through corporate-approved vendors which charged almost twice as much for their goods as un-approved vendors. Then on top of this crippling arrangement, franchisees are required to send Quiznos that steep monthly check. People were going broke and many of them sued. It's called kharma, baby.

What I wish we could find more in the States are those big round boules of german black bread. A chunk of that with some chicken soup, and "Winter? What Winter?"