A treat for Bob
@GardenGerty (168343)
United States
November 15, 2025 9:23pm CST
My husband, Bob, spent a lot of his growing up years in the upper peninsula of Michigan, but his Mom was originally from Rhode Island. His Grandma was from Boston. There was a long New England tradition on his mom's family.
So, even in Michigan, but especially when he was older and they moved back to Rhode Island, one food the family had was Boston Brown Bread. You bought it in a can. His mom did not make it.
Boston Brown Bread is a quick bread, no yeast. It has three types of grain flour. Rye, Graham or whole wheat, and corn meal. The batter is poured into cans or molds with lids put on. Then the "loaves" are steamed in a water bath. I had made it once or twice but had lost the recipe. I should make some for Thanksgiving.
I guess this is a lengthy lead in. We went to the Meridian Market. A store that has discounts form other stores, and bulk food, and Mennonite foods. Discount items can be close dated, or from a case that got damaged in transit. You never know what you will find.
I found B&M Brown Bread, like Bob remembers from growing up.
So tonight for supper we had brown bread, baked beans and sausage links, and sauerkraut. It was a real treat for Bob. Such a simple meal.
16 people like this
14 responses
@celticeagle (187219)
• Boise, Idaho
16 Nov
I love brown bread. My gram used to buy it. i buy occasionally too. Hope he enjoyed it.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
He really did. Not only are you eating food, but reliving memories with things from your childhood.
3 people like this
@celticeagle (187219)
• Boise, Idaho
17 Nov
@GardenGerty ........Yes, it's a good memory too.
2 people like this
@noni1959 (12848)
• United States
16 Nov
My mom would buy this bread to take with us camping. It was really good. She also would buy a whole chicken in the can. We did a lot of convenience cooking while camping. Open cans and put directly on the fire. Wrap meat and fresh caught fish in foil. Now I want to find some of this bread.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
I have not looked in regular stores for it. I did used to make it. I wish I had saved my cans from making soup, I would have something to bake it in.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
20 Nov
@noni1959 I will need to go get the special types of flour for it.
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (12848)
• United States
17 Nov
@GardenGerty My mom made it too. She did a lot of baking. I never made this type of bread. It would be great to try.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
If you like molasses and raisins you would probably like it.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (170897)
• United States
16 Nov
That sounds interesting. I've never heard of bread made like that before. I'm glad you found some and you and Bob enjoyed it.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
It originated here with the Pilgrims. The early settlers did not have stoves, just open fires and hearths. This is very similar to the British "figgy pudding", "plum pudding", or "Christmas pudding".
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (170897)
• United States
16 Nov
@GardenGerty But I've never heard of it or tried it. I'm not doubting you but it seems odd that mom didn't buy it once in a while.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
20 Nov
@DaddyEvil I did not think you doubted me. I never had it as a child. I got the recipe I used to use from the nutritionist at Head Start twenty years ago. I have misplaced the recipe, so this was the first time I bought it from a store, but Bob had mentioned it several times. Reading about it after making this post I learned a lot of facts about it.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (56649)
•
16 Nov
I grew up with a grandmother who loved Boston Brown Bread, and we had it often. Usually homemade, but in a can was acceptable and still delicious as well. I have made it many times, but not for quite a while now. Glad that Bob enjoyed it.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (56649)
•
17 Nov
@GardenGerty
If we were closer in miles, I would definitely take you up on that!! 
1 person likes this
@Dreamerby (10074)
• Calcutta, India
16 Nov
That's sweet! Bob must have felt nostalgic!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
20 Nov
It is okay. Sweet with molasses and raisins. When I made it I cooked it in a waterbath in a slow cooker.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91298)
• United States
16 Nov
I know of it Heather having lived in New England.
I hope you'll make some for Bob.
Your food sounds delish.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
I may actually make some for Thanksgiving.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91298)
• United States
16 Nov
@GardenGerty Do it'll be wonderful.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
I know the Germans have lots of brown breads. This one is slightly sweet with molasses.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (497090)
• Italy
17 Nov
@GardenGerty Also the German bread is slightly sweet with molasses and it's so heavy.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
20 Nov
@LadyDuck Yes, this kind is as well. I think many cultures share common breads.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54517)
• United States
16 Nov
I will see if they have it here. I don’t recall ever having it.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
It is probably not very common in the south. This was in a store that buys truckloads of damaged merchandise and sells the good parts of it. They also sell things that stores want off their shelf before it goes bad.
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
He really did. He is slowly gaining a little weight, which is good for him.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (95920)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
16 Nov
That sounds so good, I have heard of this bread but never tried it, Glad you could enjoy it with Bob,
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
20 Nov
I wonder if it is available in Florida.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (95920)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
20 Nov
@GardenGerty you can order it online even from Amazon I might be curious,
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
20 Nov
It certainly was. At one time I found a restaurant whose food tasted like what my grandma made. All kinds of things. Certainly brought by memories.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (376111)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Nov
@GardenGerty You can't beat 'home cooking'. You don't often find it in a restaurant though.
@LindaOHio (217838)
• United States
16 Nov
I just asked someone here about brown bread a couple of weeks ago. I remember the B&M Brown Bread very well from my childhood days.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
16 Nov
It would probably be a good treat for you. I think it is low sodium.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168343)
• United States
20 Nov
@LindaOHio People who do not like molasses or raisins would not like it. The texture is very dense and somewhat gritty.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (217838)
• United States
17 Nov
@GardenGerty I actually never cared for it. lol
1 person likes this
