Why Do Bakeries Smell Awesome?

It would be fair, in fact, to say that bakeries are an adult's sweet shop. With delights ranging from the savoury to the sweet, their wares are tempt us all.

Of course, while most shops and supermarkets sell bread, there is something to be said for buying a loaf that is freshly baked, still warm to the touch and smells fresh. Whether it is a baguette, a granary loaf, a large bap or soda bread, more often than not, you find yourself nibbling on it on your way out of the shop rather than wait till you get home. But there are more delights in bakeries than simply bread...

Cakes, muffins, shortcake, doughnuts... the choice in many bakeries simply takes your breath away and the decision is often the hardest part of going into one. With many adverts and magazines persuading us to eat as healthily as possible and tell us to eat five a day, there is something wonderfully forbidden about going into a bakery and buying a massive doughnut.

Sure, the calorie count is a lot higher than a salad, but the sheer pleasure of biting into it and watching the jam squirt out the sides onto our hands and face cannot be beaten. And don't even let me even get started on the joys and challenges of eating a large Belgian Bun.

However, there are even more joys beyond the cakes and sweets, and that is the savoury choices that are on display.

The best bakeries are always busiest at lunchtime and that is because local workers will be besieging the shop to get the best sandwiches, pies and pasties they can find. Sure,
supermarkets offer lunchtime deals, but nothing compares to the joy of buying a freshly baked and piping hot sausage roll.

A good bakery offers a wide range of food types and this is key to their success. While they may have an obligatory fruit bowl on the counter top, almost all of their customers are there to satisfy their most base dietary desires. Whether it's a large sandwich, a pie or a cream cake, people are there for one reason - the taste. There is a lot to be said for freshly baked foods, not only do they taste so much better, but compare them to sandwiches that have been made days before and there is no comparison.

In fact, writing this article is making my stomach rumble... to the bakery!