Real Rye Bread: Why It's So Rare and Difficult to Make

By James MacGuire

Bakery photographs by Andrew Axilrod.

THE TENDER CRUMB WAS brown tinged with gray; the rich brown crust was shiny, almost leathery, but tender. The aroma was dark and grainy, both lactic, like fresh cheese, and tangy, like subtle vinegar, with a hint of dark pipe tobacco. The finish was intense and the pungent acidity on the tongue was slow to dissipate,…