Where to buy the tastiest garlic bread in SA

Our panel judges nibbled their way through garlic breads from four top supermarkets in a quest to help you buy the best

HOW WE CONDUCTED OUR TASTE TEST

We put out a call to readers to be part of the panel of tasters. Forty of them came together on a Saturday morning at the HTA Culinary School in Randburg, Johannesburg, to taste ready-made garlic breads from four leading supermarkets.

Chef Kabelo Segone, assisted by chefs Lerato Maake, Levy Pelele and Refilwe Makatu, prepared the food as per package instructions.

The panel of tasters were presented with each of the products "naked" without any branding or packaging. The garlic breads were judged on appearance, quality of the bread, taste, the filling (butter or margarine?) and the amount of garlic used.

Auditor Jade Craig was on hand to monitor the objectivity of the blind-tasting process, from removing the packaging to numbering the products, overseeing the preparation and adding up the score sheets.

THE RESULTS

First place: Checkers Ready to Braai Garlic Baguette, 250g

Judges' comments:

"Lovely appearance, great taste and enough garlic."

"Big on taste, lovely buttery filling with the right balance of garlic and herbs."

"Good quality of bread and real butter. It has  a nice crispness to it."

Price: R19.99

Second place: Woolworths All Butter Garlic Filled Baguette, 265g

Judges' comments:

"Quality of the bread is very good but too little garlic and butter is too salty."

"There was too much butter which made it soggy and bread quality is average."

"There’s lots of lovely butter but needs more garlic."

Price: R36.99

Third place: SPAR Freshline Garlic Bread, no specified weight

Judges' comments:

"It is very oily, soggy and does not taste good."

"I don’t think this is butter but margarine as it did not melt well. Garlic bread should be made with butter."

"Too much margarine, little garlic, very salty and the bread  was doughy."

Price: R19.99

Fourth place: Pick n Pay Garlic Bread, no specified weight

Judges' comments:

"Can’t taste the garlic."

"Bread nice and light."

"It tastes like they used olive oil."

"Below average. Bread could be better."

Price: R19.90