Love this, Jolene! The Pullman pan is my fave/only loaf pan, and all of the pan-bread recipes in my book will use it (lid off, mostly, but with instructions for doing it lid-on). For those who are interested, the much-improved shokupain de mie from my upcoming book will be released on Serious Eats in the next week or so (it's just called shokupan there).
That’s so great, I’ll link to it when the piece comes out! Thanks again for being so gracious, I’m really happy about the result! Can’t wait for your book and I hope Chicago is on your book tour!
Forgot to mention: If you convert an open-pan loaf recipe to a lid-on one (both baked in the same size pan), you want to reduce the dough weight by ~15%, to avoid a compressed, dense crumb. I recommend just making a bun with the excess dough as a baker's treat, so you don't need to scale the dough down.
As always, your pictures, storytelling and writing are astonishing, Jolene! I bought a Pullman pan some time ago, but didn’t think to consider its fascinating history, so thanks for pulling on that particular thread and educating all of us. And after seeing and sampling shokupan everywhere in Japan, I can’t wait to try making it in my too-long neglected pan. Then maybe some of that yummy-looking French toast!🍞
You are so great and supportive, Ruth, thank you, really appreciate it. I envy you enjoying shokupan in Japan! Andrew’s “shokupain de mie” looks amazing, let me know how it goes! ❤️
Thanks, Jolene! I will let you know. Your loaf really does look amazing. I’m so impressed with your bread baking skills, especially as you say you don’t make it that often.
The Pullman menu ("raw tomatoes!") and the TOAST....As a gluten-free person, I ache for good bread constantly...but you've inspired me to get my own loaf pan. I adore you Jolene...you always make me hungry for MORE. xx
I know! 🍅 The luxury of fresh produce! I’m gonna email you some recs for gf flour so you can make some delicious bread at home. The Pullman pan is so much fun to use — Adore you right back, Christene! xx Here’s a link to the pan I have:
Loved the information about the Pullman bread pans. Pullman features quite a bit in my work and writing but I never would have known about this interesting tidbit without your post. Thanks! Looking forward to the continuation in May.
My ridiculously large cake tin collection is missing a Pullman pan which I will now have to remedy. I love the history and that menu! Thanks for a very informative read.
I’d forgotten about tank loaves. They used to be such a bakery staple but I haven’t seen one for ages. Bread always seemed to taste better when it was round!
Glad Substack put this in my feed to enjoy this morning!
The Illinois Railroad Museum had a really neat exhibit last summer (I think?) about dining cars and focused primarily on the tableware and serving of the food. It was really cool to see the different place settings for various rail lines and the expectations of service. Some of them were fancier than our weeknight meal setup!
Hello, Jolene. Thank you for your interest and question. I'm writing a historical narrative about my great-grandfather who was a prominent, often controversial, building contractor in Chicago from 1882-1913. As you know, Pullman played a significant role in the development and order of the city after the Great Fire. Pullman's perfectly designed loaf pans reflect his perfectly designed, state-of-the-art town for his workers (for a price of course). He also maintained strict control over the laborers hence they not get messed up in strikes against the company. The tactics he used to keep his workers in line were different than my great-grandfather who hired nonunion men when fights with the unions erupted. They both worked at a fascinating time in the history of Chicago dealing with some of the same labor issues.
I'm looking forward to learning more from your upcoming post regarding Pullman.
Oh, Jolene! I'd love to know more about those two efforts too! Fascinating! I live in Madrid, Spain but I go to Chicago annually. I'm planning on being there in October. Do you live there? I'd love to meet at that time and continue to communicate before hand. If you'd care to tell me more about BP and the WCE in an email, I'm eager to hear. Or on this site as well.
Thank you very much for subscribing to my Substack post. As you know from the intro/welcome letter, in addition to Snippets from Spain about discoveries here, I also write about the adventures of writing the book about my great-grandfather. I aim to post another next Monday.
Yes, I’m here in Chicago (native New Yorker, have been in Chicago for 7 years) would love to meet up in Chicago in October and we will stay in touch for sure before that! Have you been to the Berghoff restaurant? Lots of ties to the Labor movement and the Fair!
I look forward to seeing you in Chicago! I haven't been to that restaurant but I'll look it up. I'm excited to have "found" you and I look forward to meeting you. In the meantime, keep up the exciting work and we'll be in touch well before then.
i'm in love with the soft-boiled egg and Pullman soldiers. and that menu! I want the water crackers with preserves and cream. i'm fascinated by the "beef tea." i do not want cold baked beans. but I will take some steaming hot corned beef hash with a side of raw tomatoes ; )
Oh, Jolene! The French toast.....if only your cutting board could talk! I'm going to begin a search for the pullman pan...I think my husband's mother had one; but it's long gone. What an interesting story this pan has! ❤️
The most expensive dish on the menu was chicken Marengo! I always wondered what to do with the pan lid. Apparently you bake it like that, closed? I don’t know why it surprises me.
A steal at 50 cents! Yes, if you want those squared off edges, it’s lid on! (Dough rises to top and can’t crown because it’s, well, covered.) but the pan minus the lid is a go-to for so many things! Fun to use with the lid, though 😆
One of my grandmothers used such a pan and her bread looked exact. This taste not to find in a store for sure. Thank you for such a lovely story and history. Thank you!
Well, now I'm wondering, as I do with many intriguing things in your photos: where did you get the pan?
Hi, Sarah! I got this smaller pan, but they have larger ones, https://www.usapan.com/9-x-4-x-4-pullman-loaf-pan-cover1170pm
Jolene you’re a panfluencer
It’s all I’ve ever wanted….
Love this, Jolene! The Pullman pan is my fave/only loaf pan, and all of the pan-bread recipes in my book will use it (lid off, mostly, but with instructions for doing it lid-on). For those who are interested, the much-improved shokupain de mie from my upcoming book will be released on Serious Eats in the next week or so (it's just called shokupan there).
That’s so great, I’ll link to it when the piece comes out! Thanks again for being so gracious, I’m really happy about the result! Can’t wait for your book and I hope Chicago is on your book tour!
Forgot to mention: If you convert an open-pan loaf recipe to a lid-on one (both baked in the same size pan), you want to reduce the dough weight by ~15%, to avoid a compressed, dense crumb. I recommend just making a bun with the excess dough as a baker's treat, so you don't need to scale the dough down.
Thank you, Andrew!
Yes, kitchen tools do. I have several from 3 generations back on both sides of the family. Each was an excellent cook with what they had on hand.
Have you been down to the Pullman Monument and museum in Pullman?? It's great -- highly recommend.
Going this month! Hi, Jen! 😃Hope you’re well! I think the Hotel Florence is closed for renovation though?
Hi! 😄 It was closed when I was there last (mid last year) but I thought I heard it was almost reopened
I’ll check and let you know!
As always, your pictures, storytelling and writing are astonishing, Jolene! I bought a Pullman pan some time ago, but didn’t think to consider its fascinating history, so thanks for pulling on that particular thread and educating all of us. And after seeing and sampling shokupan everywhere in Japan, I can’t wait to try making it in my too-long neglected pan. Then maybe some of that yummy-looking French toast!🍞
You are so great and supportive, Ruth, thank you, really appreciate it. I envy you enjoying shokupan in Japan! Andrew’s “shokupain de mie” looks amazing, let me know how it goes! ❤️
Thanks, Jolene! I will let you know. Your loaf really does look amazing. I’m so impressed with your bread baking skills, especially as you say you don’t make it that often.
The Pullman menu ("raw tomatoes!") and the TOAST....As a gluten-free person, I ache for good bread constantly...but you've inspired me to get my own loaf pan. I adore you Jolene...you always make me hungry for MORE. xx
I know! 🍅 The luxury of fresh produce! I’m gonna email you some recs for gf flour so you can make some delicious bread at home. The Pullman pan is so much fun to use — Adore you right back, Christene! xx Here’s a link to the pan I have:
I https://www.usapan.com/9-x-4-x-4-pullman-loaf-pan-cover1170pm
Loved the information about the Pullman bread pans. Pullman features quite a bit in my work and writing but I never would have known about this interesting tidbit without your post. Thanks! Looking forward to the continuation in May.
Thank you, Andrea, would love to know more about your work and writing about Pullman. Thanks for commenting.
My ridiculously large cake tin collection is missing a Pullman pan which I will now have to remedy. I love the history and that menu! Thanks for a very informative read.
Ha! Julia, I feel your pain! My friend in Waratah just sent me a thing about a “tank loaf” bread — so, of course, I just ordered the pan! 😂
I’d forgotten about tank loaves. They used to be such a bakery staple but I haven’t seen one for ages. Bread always seemed to taste better when it was round!
I’ll keep you posted! 🥖
👍🏻
Glad Substack put this in my feed to enjoy this morning!
The Illinois Railroad Museum had a really neat exhibit last summer (I think?) about dining cars and focused primarily on the tableware and serving of the food. It was really cool to see the different place settings for various rail lines and the expectations of service. Some of them were fancier than our weeknight meal setup!
Thank you for letting me know, Vanessa, I’m going to check the site and see if there is an archive!
Oh, Jolene--You are a national treasure! Really. Love, Jamie
You are! 🩷
Hello, Jolene. Thank you for your interest and question. I'm writing a historical narrative about my great-grandfather who was a prominent, often controversial, building contractor in Chicago from 1882-1913. As you know, Pullman played a significant role in the development and order of the city after the Great Fire. Pullman's perfectly designed loaf pans reflect his perfectly designed, state-of-the-art town for his workers (for a price of course). He also maintained strict control over the laborers hence they not get messed up in strikes against the company. The tactics he used to keep his workers in line were different than my great-grandfather who hired nonunion men when fights with the unions erupted. They both worked at a fascinating time in the history of Chicago dealing with some of the same labor issues.
I'm looking forward to learning more from your upcoming post regarding Pullman.
Andrea, thank you, I’m so interested in what you are doing, I’m writing about Bertha Palmer and the 1893 Fair, are you in Chicago?
Oh, Jolene! I'd love to know more about those two efforts too! Fascinating! I live in Madrid, Spain but I go to Chicago annually. I'm planning on being there in October. Do you live there? I'd love to meet at that time and continue to communicate before hand. If you'd care to tell me more about BP and the WCE in an email, I'm eager to hear. Or on this site as well.
Thank you very much for subscribing to my Substack post. As you know from the intro/welcome letter, in addition to Snippets from Spain about discoveries here, I also write about the adventures of writing the book about my great-grandfather. I aim to post another next Monday.
Best wishes and good luck to you!
Yes, I’m here in Chicago (native New Yorker, have been in Chicago for 7 years) would love to meet up in Chicago in October and we will stay in touch for sure before that! Have you been to the Berghoff restaurant? Lots of ties to the Labor movement and the Fair!
I look forward to seeing you in Chicago! I haven't been to that restaurant but I'll look it up. I'm excited to have "found" you and I look forward to meeting you. In the meantime, keep up the exciting work and we'll be in touch well before then.
For sure, Andrea!
i'm in love with the soft-boiled egg and Pullman soldiers. and that menu! I want the water crackers with preserves and cream. i'm fascinated by the "beef tea." i do not want cold baked beans. but I will take some steaming hot corned beef hash with a side of raw tomatoes ; )
I’m ordering the same, Danyel!
Oh, Jolene! The French toast.....if only your cutting board could talk! I'm going to begin a search for the pullman pan...I think my husband's mother had one; but it's long gone. What an interesting story this pan has! ❤️
Hi, Pam! I love it when something simple like a pan has so many connections to history! How are you? Here’s the pan I have : https://www.usapan.com/9-x-4-x-4-pullman-loaf-pan-cover1170pm
The most expensive dish on the menu was chicken Marengo! I always wondered what to do with the pan lid. Apparently you bake it like that, closed? I don’t know why it surprises me.
A steal at 50 cents! Yes, if you want those squared off edges, it’s lid on! (Dough rises to top and can’t crown because it’s, well, covered.) but the pan minus the lid is a go-to for so many things! Fun to use with the lid, though 😆
One of my grandmothers used such a pan and her bread looked exact. This taste not to find in a store for sure. Thank you for such a lovely story and history. Thank you!
https://writerswrites.com/
Thank you so much, Sally — kitchen tools and what was made with them have such powerful memories, don’t they?
This was fascinating!! Pullman history is so interesting and I love this little slice (oooh an unintended bread pun!!).
Thank you, Katy! I’ve been making puns about getting ‘on board’ 🚂 all day! Hope you’re doing well, I LOVE your craft room posts on Insta!