Fact Finder - Food and Drink

The perfectly square, crustless bread used for everyday sandwiches is known as a Pullman loaf. It originated in France as 'pain de mie,' but gained its modern name from the Pullman Railway Company. In the late 19th century, train kitchens were extremely cramped. To maximize space, bakers used long, lidded pans that prevented the bread from rising into a rounded top, forcing it into a dense, rectangular shape. This allowed three Pullman loaves to occupy the same space as two standard rounded loaves. The shape was also ideal for the invention of the automatic bread slicer, as every slice was uniform in size. This efficiency eventually made the square slice the standard for the entire commercial bread industry in the 20th century.