A Bread Worth Seeking Out: When Pigs Fly, Brookline

Excuse me, but is that hummos IN your bread? Is that loaf so redolent of chocolate that it is almost pitch black? And are those slices of candied ginger AND mango AND pineapple baked into the sesame filled crumb? I see. Yes, these are all examples of the delicious loaves that you will find in a completely unassuming small store on Beacon Street in Coolidge Corner, Brookline.

When Pigs Fly is based out of a kitchen in York, Maine. I first encountered their bread this summer at the small bakery that is attached to that kitchen. I walked in and intended to buy one loaf. I bought 5. And now, to my great joy, there is an outpost just a few miles away.
Their bread is hard to resist for a few reasons. First the ingredients are so pure and come in such unusual combinations that it is hard to refuse. How can you say, "No" to yeasted breads stuffed with cranberries, huge chunks of pistachio nuts and orange? Is it possible to skip over the version with bananas, pecans and maple that is crusted in a layer of caramelized sugar?
Second, you can try a slice of any bread which means you are guaranteed to be happy with any loaf you buy. Finally, they freeze beautifully. You can eat any of them toasted for breakfast, but they also suggest making, say, the chocolate bread into French Toast (!) or using the Mango, Pineapple, Ginger, Sesame for turkey sandwiches. These aren't cheap at about $6.00 a loaf, but they are so dense and full of good things that it seems worth it. For the record, they also offer simpler styles such as sourdough and whole wheat, but I can never make it past the unique versions.

And, if you can't make it Brookline, they now sell their breads at a range of Farmer's Markets, such as the SOWA market.

When Pigs Fly, 1378A Beacon St, (Coolidge Corner) Brookline, MA, 617-232-1077