Does anyone use bread boxes anymore? I wonder if retaining crust texture may have been part of the purpose, aside from keeping bread fresh and protected from critters. I remember my grandmothers using those. I also wonder if storing in a cloth bag or towel would protect it a bit from drying out, yet allow enough air circulation to prevent the crusts from softening.

Here are quite a selections of bread boxes, who knew they were still so popular:

http://www.amazon.com/b?node=13880451

And this may be your perfect solution:

http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Adjustable-Bread-Keeper/dp/B001BB2LMM/ref=lp_13880451_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1411481319&sr=1-1

And I would think a bread box from a bread flour company would be well suited to home-baked bread:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/retro-bread-box?utm_source=Amazon&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&utm_keyword=King+Arthur+Flour+Retro+Bread+Box

... aside from the frequents dings that people are finding in the exterior. Just add a couple more and call it patina.

NEW INFO: I asked King Arthur Flour about effectiveness of the bread box on crusts: Thank you for contacting us here at King Arthur Flour:

It will definitely keep the bread from getting too hard like leaving it out in the open air, and it will keep it from getting too soft like plastic bags do.

The crust on your rustic breads will soften up some though, especially after a day or two and it will vary depending on the weather. So in general, it's better than plastic or nothing at all, but there will be some changes to the crust texture over time.

A bread box could be useful. Aside from keeping bread fresh and protected from critters, I would think it could help with crust appeal. 

I also wonder if storing in a cloth bag or towel would protect it from drying out, yet allow enough air circulation to prevent the crusts from softening.

Here are quite a selections of bread boxes, who knew they were still so popular:

http://www.amazon.com/b?node=13880451

This may be your perfect solution where you can control amount of air flow:

http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Adjustable-Bread-Keeper/dp/B001BB2LMM/ref=lp_13880451_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1411481319&sr=1-1

I would think a bread box from a bread flour company would be well suited to home-baked bread:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/retro-bread-box?utm_source=Amazon&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&utm_keyword=King+Arthur+Flour+Retro+Bread+Box

... aside from the frequents dings that people are finding in the exterior. Just add a couple more and call it patina.

NEW INFO: I asked King Arthur Flour about effectiveness of the bread box on crusts:

It will definitely keep the bread from getting too hard like leaving it out in the open air, and it will keep it from getting too soft like plastic bags do.

The crust on your rustic breads will soften up some though, especially after a day or two and it will vary depending on the weather. So in general, it's better than plastic or nothing at all, but there will be some changes to the crust texture over time.

Does anyone use bread boxes anymore? I wonder if retaining crust texture may have been part of the purpose, aside from keeping bread fresh and protected from critters. I remember my grandmothers using those. I also wonder if storing in a cloth bag or towel would protect it a bit from drying out, yet allow enough air circulation to prevent the crusts from softening.

Here are quite a selections of bread boxes, who knew they were still so popular:

http://www.amazon.com/b?node=13880451

And this may be your perfect solution:

http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Adjustable-Bread-Keeper/dp/B001BB2LMM/ref=lp_13880451_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1411481319&sr=1-1

And I would think a bread box from a bread flour company would be well suited to home-baked bread:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/retro-bread-box?utm_source=Amazon&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&utm_keyword=King+Arthur+Flour+Retro+Bread+Box

... aside from the frequents dings that people are finding in the exterior. Just add a couple more and call it patina.

Does anyone use bread boxes anymore? I wonder if retaining crust texture may have been part of the purpose, aside from keeping bread fresh and protected from critters. I remember my grandmothers using those. I also wonder if storing in a cloth bag or towel would protect it a bit from drying out, yet allow enough air circulation to prevent the crusts from softening.

Here are quite a selections of bread boxes, who knew they were still so popular:

http://www.amazon.com/b?node=13880451

And this may be your perfect solution:

http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Adjustable-Bread-Keeper/dp/B001BB2LMM/ref=lp_13880451_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1411481319&sr=1-1

And I would think a bread box from a bread flour company would be well suited to home-baked bread:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/retro-bread-box?utm_source=Amazon&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&utm_keyword=King+Arthur+Flour+Retro+Bread+Box

... aside from the frequents dings that people are finding in the exterior. Just add a couple more and call it patina.

NEW INFO: I asked King Arthur Flour about effectiveness of the bread box on crusts: Thank you for contacting us here at King Arthur Flour:

It will definitely keep the bread from getting too hard like leaving it out in the open air, and it will keep it from getting too soft like plastic bags do.

The crust on your rustic breads will soften up some though, especially after a day or two and it will vary depending on the weather. So in general, it's better than plastic or nothing at all, but there will be some changes to the crust texture over time.