I want to love Alpine Valley Bread. I really do. I like supporting local companies when I can, and you don't get much more local than five miles from home. They've also got an overwhelming variety of (theoretically) mouthwatering flavors. They donate tons of bread to local charities. The factory store has crazy insane prices on bread.
But the bread? You know, the only thing they make and sell?
It sucks.
It used to be great. But now they're selling these teeny tiny baby loaves for real loaf prices, and literally nine times out of the last ten (I am a patient, forgiving man) they're gummy, underdone, undermixed, or some combination of the three. I don't feel like playing bread roulette at the outlet prices, much less at the $4 they go for at a grocer.