O N B R E A D A LO N E the art of the perfect loaf
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written, styled & photographed by Alison Engstrom
alking through the doors of Brooklyn bakery, Bien Cuit is like being temporarily transported to a boulangerie in Paris. The aroma that drifts through the shop is the heavenly combination of buttery viennoisserie, like pain au chocolat mixed with freshly baked bread that New Yorkers make a pilgrimage to get their hands on. I sat down with Zachary Golper, the owner and master bread maker on how he honed his skills, Bien Cuit's first cookbook, Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread and tips on how you can create the perfect loaf in your own home. I meet Zachary on a sunny day at Bien Cuit, just after the morning hustle, where flaky croissants are savored and cappuccinos are perfectly poured. Located on Smith Street in the heart of Cobble Hill, the bakery came to be after a whirlwind career of baking around the country, France and in South America that eventually landed him in Brooklyn. In one’s life, there is often a pivotal moment that marks the beginning of your journey. For Zachary, it was in Bolivia, after years prior were spent learning the 110