American’s take on Aussie bread sparks ridicule

The US shopper’s search for the “most amazing bread” they had Down Under has prompted a bemused response from Aussies.

One of the most exciting parts of visiting other countries is discovering just how different everyday food items like bread or cereal can taste.

But one American’s post about having the “most amazing bread” during a visit Down Under has prompted a hilarious reaction from Aussies when the brand of the bread they’d sampled was revealed.

In a Reddit post from February last year, the poster waxed lyrical about having the best bread of their life during a visit to Australia.

“Now, this bread was the softest, most amazing bread I’ve ever had in my sad American life. The very first bite was ecstasy. I had around three slices before I even thought about popping some in the toaster,” they wrote.

What was this life-altering loaf? Tip Top Bakery bread – specifically the thicker toast version.

“And the toast was something else. The toast was a godsend. I would pay just to live off of that toast for the rest of my life.

“It was STILL SOFT despite it being toasted. I remember thinking, ‘Is this the Australian standard? Is this how they live?’”

The American concluded that they “can’t live without that bread” and since returning to the States they had been “in pursuit of a bread that can deliver just as well” but had turned up empty.

After writing up the glowing review, they edited the post to add that they had discovered the bread was Tip Top.

Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Tip Top or any other cheap supermarket brand of bread.

But it’s safe to say many Aussies were amused to find out an American had so highly rated a bread so safe and stock standard it’s best likened to, well, white bread.

Why not a sourdough from one of our many famous artisan bakeries? Or at the very least, a Helga’s mixed grain loaf.

Tip Top is one of the most common (and cheapest) types of bread you can find at the supermarket. Picture: Instagram/@tiptopthe1

‘Saddest thing I’ve ever read’

Writer Kara Schlegl came across the post on Reddit this week and tweeted it out on Wednesday, describing it as “the saddest thing I’ve ever read in my entire life”.

Schlegl’s tweet quickly went viral, with Aussies expressing shock – and bemusement – over the post.

Others said that as an Aussie they had struggled with the bread in America, while others mused what the Reddit poster’s reaction would be to Australian coffee or Baker’s Delight bread.

Wait, what the heck kind of bread do you have in America that isn’t soft and delicious?! https://t.co/MoZzzoPeWu

— Rose 💐🐝 (@Roseweald_) October 28, 2021

Jesus Christ, they tried bottom of the shelf Aussie bread and are already addicted, how bad is American bread??? https://t.co/WydfovjxEx

— s e t h (@peggles_V8SC) October 28, 2021

This! Every time I travelled overseas I could never find sliced bread like what we get here in supermarkets in Australia. It’s always weirdly dried out, coarse and tastes like cardboard that gets worse when you toast it. I always thought it was “me” and plain bad luck
🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/J4KZ6BjwSf

— Sonia De Macedo 💉 (@soniademacedo) October 27, 2021

Just wait until you try Australian coffee. https://t.co/vqwvaEs04i

— Silver Sheep (@silversheepbaa) October 27, 2021

I– what?

This? Is a delicacy?? https://t.co/Sm1QU0gDgHpic.twitter.com/1abIpP7bbL

— the ghost of julia 🏹✨ (@FairyFuzzy) October 27, 2021

It should be mentioned that the American added a second postscript to their post after discovering the Aussie bread of their dreams was Tip Top.

“I understand Aus supermarket bread isn’t the best to some standards, but relative to American supermarket bread, it’s the best I’ve ever had,” they wrote.

“American bread is small, thinly sliced. It’s not as fluffy or dense.”

We’ll never take our Tip Top for granted ever again.