The Maltese Bread
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Ask any Maltese who is living far away from the shores of the island and they will tell you that one of the things they miss most about their country is the bread.
Affectionately known by the locals as 'Il-Hobza', the Maltese bread loaf is unique and can only be found on the Maltese islands. The Pugliese bread from Southern Italy is probably the closest bread to the traditional Maltese one however
the crust on the 'Hobza' loaf is harder and the bread itself it a little chewier.
The traditional 'Hobza' used to be baked in a wood-fired oven however due to rising costs and enviromental regulations it became very difficult for many Maltese Bakeries to
keep using wood as the primary source of fuel. Many bakers have now replaced the wood-fired ovens with gas ones and while the taste and structure hasn't varied many traditionalists claim
that they can tell the difference in the bread.
One such traditionalist is Nenu Debono who has made sure that his bakery in Valletta keeps using the wood-fired oven and turned his bakery into a tourist attraction offering a glimpse into the history and tradition of the Maltese Bread.
The attraction called "The Maltese Bread Experience" and offers a wide variety of breads to sample and even allows visitors to create their own bread and bake it in the traditional oven. The bakery is located in St. Dominic Street (Valletta) on the corner of St. Paul Street.
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