Another Gripe About Bread in Qatar
By timebandit •
I hate the bread available in Qatar. Yup this is another post on one of my favourite dislikes.... Bread. I have tried what feels like every bread baked in Qatar. The problem is that I come from the UK. I have a taste for UK bread that is not sweet like the recipes used here. Also there is a lot of air in bread available here. When you toast it, it crumbles when you try to butter it. Lastly in most cases the slices are too small in dimensions. I like a nice big sandwich size slice of bread that only just fits into a toaster.
So to recap the bread here (that I have tried) is one or more of the following:-
- Too sweet
- Too thin
- Too small
- Too light in consistency
Kingsmill which is one of my favourite British breads is available most of the time here in Qatar in Lulu. But it’s not always available.
My reasons for posting this are:-
- Why is bread so sweet here? This is my major gripe. I can put up with the rest of my gripes, but sweet bread is horrible.
- Who else is having trouble with locally available bread? Am I just a moaning, whining Brit?
- Why can’t a Kingsmill style bread be baked here in Qatar? Would you buy it if it was?
Oh and Kingsmill in Lulu ran out three days ago, and they had put the price up to QR 18 just before they ran out :(
Lastly I was watching the latest Qatar Airways advertisement on Al Jazeera (this is what prompted this rant), and noticed a 5 Star piece of toast being buttered as the main theme for the Ad. Where does Qatar Airways get it’s Business Class bread from?
I have tahsinmim, and it is my favorite here in Qatar now. It's still not Kingsmill, but for my taste it is better than anything else available here. If the slices were just a little bigger to fit my toasted sandwich maker properly I would be well landed ;)
"Long Fermented breads"
You mean past it's sell by date? ;)
Dasman Centre on Airport Road has Hovis :o)Alternatively, do like I do and make your own!
Blimey Sness... ok well we have to do something then before you go.
Yep TB, I leave in 3 weeks and I'm never coming back. X
What do you mean leave? Do you mean for good Snessy?
lol...anyways let me know laters...:)
happy, cruel question!!!! remember "free me phenyl" story :) lol
Thanks Khanan and TB, I leave in 3 weeks so we'll definitely hook up. :-)
Khanan... any time at your convenience ... BTW how about this weekend...:)
painther...joining...:)
TB - Usually you need a little sugar BUT only a little and not enough to affect the taste.This is to kick start the yeast
But you don't need sugar Cherukkan, I don't use any when I bake my own bread.
TB, They are using a lot of sugar for fermentation. That is why the bread is so sweet.
used to do a very good type of english bread and even brought in a UK baker to produce it. They had the slicer so it could be sliced.
I can join you too!
so when HGL ?
Welcome back snessy!!!
painther ...yep, a companion would be good...:)
will give it a try!!
the ambience looks tempting. (from the pics posted on the google)
Khanan It's right on Midmac R/A. Coming from Ramada, take the Midmac slip road as if you were going to the R/A and just before you reach the R/A it's on your right. It has a large car park of it's own as well, so you can't miss it. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?cid=13202145567138055374&q=The+Village&authuser=0 Read more: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/2001634#ixzz1U3DzBFXa
Happy, you need a companion, don;'t you?
TB ...will do a run to Village then... will also get to know what is British Curry...:)
Snessy! Seems you had great time back home.
Hope to see you before you leave the sandpit for good.
I feel your pain TB, I only buy kingsmill from lulu's too. I was back in the UK and stuffed myself with lots of yummylicious bread including warburtons. Mmmmmmmm....
I am fasting and you all taking about breads, cakes and curries :P
TB..where exactly is Villlage located? I gonna try it this weekend for iftar.
Flor I don't like wooden toothpicks, but that doesn't worry me because I always carry a Swiss Army Penknife, and thus I always have my own personal plastic toothpick with me.
Oh no, I can bake my own bread, JD, don't you worry about me.
HGL - don't get me started on the things that we cannot get/not allowed to eat here which are from UK and Europe
what a statement by LP, "Bread in Qatar is generally shyte!" and the poor soul is forced to eat that :P
happygolucky if your Indian cuisine preference is anything similar to British curry, try the Village on Salwa Road. They have the best curry dishes I have come across here in Doha so far. Yummy... now I am hungry.
Timebandit- I agree- good rant and nothing wrong with being a whingeing Brit. My Mrs accuses me of it all the time.
If the Govmt is really set on reducing the increasing prevalence of diabetes and obesity in this country, then removing (or at least reducing) suger content of bread is a must. My weekend toast with marmalade and cup if tea will be soo much nicer!
of Pan De Sal here. Not same as in Manila! My goodness, what next after this, TOOTHPICKS?
TB u are talking of just bread...and here I dont even get a decent meal of my type (The North Indian style) even if there are so many eateries run by Indians ... being single and eating most of my meals outside, guess what torture I go thru every day...:(((
BE don't get all Marie Antoinette and briochy on us
Why can't you eat cake instead
Panasonic is what I have, but I don't know if you can get them here in Qatar.
i have been making my loaves by hand, and it does take up more time than i would like to.
Agreed Bubbademom... back home I have a nice big bread maker. I just chuck the ingredient in the mixing bowl, close the lid, press start, and three hours later a nice big crispy crust loaf to my liking can be turned out.
I have been experimenting and making bread myself, and I have to say it really isnt that tricky, but it is hugely satisfying having proper bread, and it is better for you too, yum :)
I try to only get cheese from the counter - always nicer than prepacked, also sometimes they have offers
Why o why can't we have a decent supermarket here????
I must admit, I like Cathetdal City Extra Mature, and I also get that from Lulu. But I cannot claim to be a Cheddar expert.
No not really - ok as a stop gap and to cook with but it has an over processed quality to it. Having said that my Nephew adores it and won't eat anything else.
Does Cathedral City count JJJ?
Also, ever noticed how hard it is to get decent cheddar (except in MM and not always then). I think that people think that cheddar is this yellow blob with a vague tast to it. Good cheddar is not like that at all. The amount of times I have gone to the deli counter in say carrerfour, la cigale, dean deluca and either it has Apricots (???!!!) in it or they point me to some french cheese which bears no resemblance to cheddar or another alternative which is some generic anchor crap which is not even fit to cook with.
PEOPLE FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS ASK FOR PROPER CHEDDAR FROM ENGLAND
Milk Bread..... Yuk!!!!
The bread is made for the taste of the majority of the population.
Hence Milk Bread etc
Kaboos also known as Khubs, i bet u might have eaten this- for QRs.1/- u get 7 Khubs...:)[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1874:]]
Ok not quite Kingsmill, not quite what I am looking for, but the best on offer in Qatar so far seems to be:-BakemartMega MartBateel acording to Quilter (but I havn't tried this yet)
Whats Kaboos Rizks? I guess I havn't, should I?
oh and for a french supermarket - Carrefour has the worst bread I have ever tasted I bought some once 3 years ago and never again
TB - I have sent you a PM - I can sympathise
Also the bread is around 7/8 riyals for a loaf
Some people they just dream by bread now in africa !!!!!
even me, i like the taste of Korean bread its soft and spongy....:)TB have u tried Kaboos ? :)
We have experienced this and found that the Bakemart white bread found in Megamart is similar to bread in the UK
We have experienced this and found that the Bakemart white bread found in Megamart is similar to bread in the UK
I don't think I have tried Korean bread. Is it available here?
I like the taste of Korean bread.
I agree with everything you said tb. The only bread I have found that remotely matches anything you said is made by Bateel, and is the granary bread. It's not sweet, it's not too light and it's the size bread should be! I get mine from Food Palace in Al Saad. Try it.
Jason Bakemart is one of the better, but I would not go as far as to say "Bang on"
Why isn't the government doing something about this? How can they host the World Cup with bread like this? FIFA should check the quality of a country's bread before awarding hosting rights
Bread in Qatar is generally shyte!
I agree with you on all counts re the rank bread on offer here !! however yesterday got lunch from bakemart, not sure if you tried this place but the bread was bang on ! and the do bread to go not pricy either !!
i will follow you TB ! :)
I would subscribe to it instantly if they did Rizks
QL should have a "moaning" group for such issues ? :)