Artisan Breads: Danny Saucedo From El Paso’s Greenery Restaurant & Market
By Katie Beck Photography by Marty Snortum Studio and Joseph Burgess

Prior to the evolution of commercially prepared products, bread baking was considered an art form that yielded intricately crafted and flavor-infused breads. A staple dating back to ancient times, bread is a combination of some of the simplest ingredients found in the kitchen. A mixture of flour, liquid and a leavening agent can yield a variety of breads from soft, buttery rolls to crusty sourdoughs. These simple basics, traditional flavors with no added preservatives, are the mark of artisan breads. The baker imparts the artistic element to the breads acting as a craftsperson who understands the traditional and technical methods of fermenting, mixing, shaping and baking.

El Paso’s Greenery Market has updated its bakery in order to produce high quality breads in this area. Artisan bread baker Danny Saucedo is the resident craftsman of breads that are both visually appealing and packed with flavor. A native El Pasoan, Danny is self-taught and has a passion for creating breads that deliver in texture and taste. “I start from scratch everyday,” Danny says, “and you have to really know how to work with all the elements that go into baking bread.”

Like fine wine or cheese, controlling the action of natural chemical reactions and fermentation will produce different types of effects in bread. Flavor and texture are determined by many factors, including the use of rising agents, the mixing and forming processes and the baking method. Many professional bakers use a starter, which is basically a combination of flour, water, sugar and yeast that is then allowed to develop into a rising agent that can be used in a variety of breads. Starters are “fed” a combination of equal parts flour and water, refrigerated and maintained for extensive periods of time. Danny created his starter nine years ago; he replenishes it with grainier flour that creates more nutrients and density in the starter. This mixing of reactive ingredients to create dough requires an understanding of chemical reactions and sensitivity to environmental elements. This process determines the end product. Improper measurements or overworking the dough can produce bread that doesn’t rise or that has poor texture. Danny states, “Mixing the dough is my favorite part. You have to know how to counterbalance different factors, even the weather.”

Forming dough also involves the skilled hands of an artisan to create the visual appeal of the delicate designs that signify these breads. Some can be scored or marked to control moisture release during the baking process thus achieving the aesthetic appeal and elaborate patterns so characteristic of artisan breads. While the bread is baking, the professional baker can also use steam in the oven to create breads that are allowed to fully bake inside-out before a crust forms on the exterior. When each step is executed correctly, the oven yields a scrumptious, toasty loaf of bread that is a work of art and a treat to eat … and the scent is impossible to resist.

Danny creates artisan breads for both the Greenery Market and Restaurant. He states, “I don’t use any preservatives in our bread. In fact, I use whole wheat flour in most of my breads in order to put back some of the nutrients that were taken out.” Multi-grain bread, rye, pecan raisin and cranberry walnut are only a few of the creative options available from the Greenery Bakery. This selection offers customers the opportunity to enjoy unique flavors that can be paired with a variety of food items. In keeping with the true artisan tradition and style, Danny enthuses, “I never get tired of starting from scratch.”