Focaccia

I love freshly baked focaccia. I feel lucky when I go out to eat and the restaurant includes some in their bread basket. There is something so satisfying about the pillowy, soft internal crumb of this high hydration bread. It doesn't hurt that my favorite seasonings, fresh thyme and garlic, are often used as a topping.

An enduring memory I have of first encountering focaccia was at Pasta Vita in Old Saybrook. When they first opened up I remember going in to check out the numerous options they had for to-go meals but what stuck with me the most was that they had full size sheet pans of focaccia topped with sliced tomatoes, basil, and parmesan, cut into squares displayed right next to the cash registers. The bread was still steaming and filled the store with the most amazing aroma. I have been enthralled ever since.