Umm, what "readers" were shocked by the $8 bread? I think there were exactly two comments on the price: one from Sam Sessa, a reporter, not a reader, whose judgment is no doubt clouded by the paucity of his Tribune Company paycheck; and the other from one "schmenn", whose Jean Valjean allusion sounded suspiciously like something that would come from an Owl Meat doppelgänger.

Perhaps I should have said why was I shocked by an $8 loaf of bread but not a $4.50 French pastry. :-) EL

Because bread is, well, bread. But the mille-feuille has an exotic name and is not something that can be made with a device purchased at 2am from Ronco. Now the reality is that the bread you make with your Ronco bread machine costs approximately 10,000,000,000 times what you paid for a loaf of bread, its the concept: toss a few ingredients in the single use machine (statistically that is the standard actual usage) and out comes bread.

Just possessing the the secret to creating the icing pattern justifies the price. Not even Ronco has a machine to do that.

RtSO - creating that icing pattern is simple and it would take all of five seconds (no exxageration) to master. Creating or finding a decent bread, let alone an amazing one - now that's difficult.

I'm with hmpstd on both issues. The cost of your bread was not shocking to most of us, and "schmenn" suspicously sounds like OMG.

As a soup lover, I'm beginning to ocassionally find soups that are $8 which is unbelievable to me when I can make a whole pot for about that. But, that's the price you pay to have someone else do the cooking, I guess!

hmpstd, I had exactly the same thought about "schmenn," but when Laura Lee warmly welcomed the "newcomer" I kept my thought to myself!

Sugar has an inverse relationship to reality.

One of the shocked was Sessa, who hangs out in Houkah joints. His judgement is questionable.

I had assumed that those who questioned the $8 have kids at home. Seems like we went through 2 loaves a day back then. It's easy to forget that grownups can make a loaf of bread last forever.

I woke up laughing this morning. Ever wake yourself from a dream that way? Can't beat it.

If Sam and schmenn are in your head, that's just no good at all. Both were clearly joking. Sounds like you need a Funtastic Thursday!

I liked Lissa's answer best. :-) EL

Ah, Eve, would that a loaf of bread lasted forever (or at least until two people can finish it). That might be true for "the bread that thinks its a bed," but my experience is that buying the real, natural loaves means at most two days usefulness as bread, maybe a third as a source of bread crumbs for the birds. Used to love the Turkish bread I would get fresh out of the oven (my DW and I usually bought two because one would not make it home). The Turks we traveled with wanted us to bring the large loaves of Wonder bread because "it always stays fresh." Go figure.

"schmenn" was an obvious creation to counter "jenn", the opportunistic self-flagellator, as in jenn schmenn, Sessa Schmessa. Zut alors!

I liked Lissa's answer best. :-) EL

Lissa. Lissa, Lissa! Why does Lissa get all the attention?

She's my favorite. EL

I'm suddenly hearing the theme song from The Brady Bunch..

Hahahahaha

hmpstd, now, if only my paycheck were as big as my brain. on second thought ...

yes, my judgment is questionable indeed, eve. and speaking of dreams, this was my night last night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nIlFsERnmk

Oh, Sam, if I try to open youtube on this office computer, I get a screen with big letters telling me that access is denied and my attempt has been logged and reported to Corporate as well as my supervisor. I don't open any links on these blogs.

Earlier, I actually sent myself an email to look for a clip of the Cheshire Cat smoking his houka.

Sam - weird that you dream of Weird Al. Next time go to a bar that will let you put something better in those pipes than stinky tabacco. your dream quality will improve. er,, I've heard that I mean...

Eve,
Here's a drawing of the Caterpillar smoking a hookah from Alice In Wonderland. The Cheshire Cat didn't smoke, it just disappeared, the smile fading last.

You're right, RiE! I'd completely forgotten the caterpillar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP0gn6X02O8

Ah, Eve -- either you are very young, or RiE must have been a Jefferson Airplane fan back in the Sixties. See this clip and listen around 1:10 into the video.

Oh, I'm very young! (Yeah.....that's the ticket!)

Babe, I saw the Airplane do White Rabbit in Asbury Park before it was released as a 45. It got a bigger response at Woodstock.

I'm always amazed that "White Rabbit" is such a short song. When I listen to it, it takes at least 20 min., I swear.

"White Rabbit" is one of my showers songs.

Lissa - Are you thinking of Knights In White Satin? That's a longer song.

Oh...never mind. I get it now, just as I was typing this. It was a tortellini moment for me.

That's how I always think of the song title, too. EL

Nope. Never was a Moody Blues fan, particularly, Bucky.

EL, I think you've read too many bodice rippers...

Lissa, its time dilation. Works both ways: some things just whip right by and others s-t-r-e-t-c-h out. And the beauty of it is if you're really into something it can happen without being on something.