# Why is mundane white commercial bread sometimes labelled 'Italian' **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2016, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739 "2016-08-04T14:27:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739/21 "2016-08-06T17:58:47Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > Never seen that down here, but it reminded me instantly of what we call Texas toast bread which is just double thick sliced white bread. > [https://www.google.com/express/u/0/product/1433011415430217358\_266937012743877206\_106211247?mall=Nevada&directCheckout=1&utm\_source=google&utm\_medium=shopping](https://www.google.com/express/u/0/product/1433011415430217358_266937012743877206_106211247?mall=Nevada&directCheckout=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping) > > I’ve never seen Italian bread in a store that was shaped like a regular loaf. Yes, that’s just sliced white bread, and what I’ve been talking about - sliced white bread with ‘Italian’ on the label. Maybe it’s drier or less sugar than Wonder bread and such, but it’s certainly not actual Italian bread (which is never shaped like a regular loaf. Unless you make it in a bread machine, flour water yeast salt, no sugar). ---
**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739/22 "2016-08-06T18:37:32Z")
I live in the Boston area and to me the only true ‘Italian’ bread is Scali. I just found on Wikipedia > **[Scali bread](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scali_bread)** > > Scali Bread is an Italian-American style of bread made predominantly in the Boston, Massachusetts area. It is a braided loaf that is covered in sesame seeds. It was originally made by the Scali family of Boston, and is now a regional specialty. > Available at many bakeries in the Boston area, a Scali can be purchased intact or quickly sliced on an industrial bread slicer. One bakery that has been making the traditional form for decades is the Winter Hill Bakery, a popular Somerville source of this... that this is a regional style of bread, originated by a family named Scali. I actually know a family named Scali although I have no idea if they’re related to the bread makers. ---
**Author:** ![Dana\_Scully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Dana\_Scully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana_Scully)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739/23 "2016-08-07T00:59:14Z")
One word: Marketing. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2016, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739/24 "2016-08-07T10:03:58Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > but it’s certainly not actual Italian bread My first rule of food nomenclature: If it’s got the name of a country in the name, it’s not like food they would eat in that country. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739/25 "2016-08-07T14:30:22Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > At the supermarkets in central Illinois, it’s all white bread shaped differently. If it’s long and skinny, it’s labeled French. If it’s not quite as long, and a lot wider, it’s labeled Italian. If it’s a loaf, it’s just labeled white bread. Same dough, same crust, same taste. > > I think it’s to give the illusion that there are actually choices. A baguette should be very different from a regular loaf of Italian bread. The crust is different, the bread is different. Maybe it’s all in my head, but I grew up on the stuff, I feel like I could tell them apart with my eyes closed (maybe not, I just think I could). > [@Shagnasty](#): > > It is common in the Boston area too. I always thought that it is just a marketing gimmick to appeal to Italian-Americans and snooty people that like to think they are eating real ethnic bread instead of plain white bread. I don’t know about that. I’m half Italian, but everyone from my dad and up is 100% Italian, some of them, literally, right off the boat, plus I grew up with in a large Italian family and we had (and still have) a Italian store that sells Italian bread. IME, if and Italian person is just looking to make a sandwich…like the kind a kid would took to school, they’ll have no problem getting a regular loaf of (Wonder type) bread. They don’t need to hide it under a fake wrapper. Now, while I’ve never seen Italian Wonder bread, maybe it tastes like Italian bread, in which case, that’s different, but if it doesn’t, than I doubt Italians are buying it…they’d just buy actual Italian bread. If you get it sliced and in a plastic wrapper, the consistency is about the same as regular bread anyways…a little different…but the bread is different. If you want Wonder bread, get Wonder bread. I do have to stop at a store today, if I see that I’ll get it. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739/26 "2016-08-07T17:06:24Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Italians of the world, unite against this ! I would, but I actually love the stuff. Though, I also love the authentic stuff too. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739/27 "2016-08-07T19:21:23Z")
As others have said, it’s a little heavier, denser and drier than anything like “white bread,” although it’s not a hell of a long ways from plain white. It usually has a very slight tang to it. I use it for stuffing in this region that thinks “sourdough” is a character in a Mark Twain play. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mundane-white-commercial-bread-sometimes-labelled-italian/761739.md?page=1)