Tuscan: So thick crusted, this is the only bread your friendly bakery workers won’t put through the bread slicer. The taste and texture are worth the extra cutting efforts (and there will be extra cutting efforts). You may find yourself tearing off pieces by hand, in lieu of an even slice, so tempting is its scored and raised crust. During the Middle Ages, the expensive salt tax prevented salt’s use in this traditional Tuscan bread. The loaf would go stale quickly and was used frequently as bread soup or bread salad. No longer subject to this expense, Allegro’s rustically-shaped Tuscan Levain makes a great visual centerpiece and has enough salt to be enjoyed as a table bread for a meal with soups, sauces or oils.