In making bread, proofing is sometimes a ritual and sometimes a requirement. With breads made with convenient fast acting yeast, proofing to ensure that the vital microorganisms are still alive is often a formality. With sourdough baking, proofing remains an essential step in ensuring adequate fermentation. Proof Bread, a local bakery with an emphasis on sourdough breads, incorporates the essential step of proofing into its name and is continuously expanding beyond its original base in Mesa to develop a presence throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Proof has long been a favorite at farmers markets all over town, where its booths have sold different types of loaves and baguettes, along with the bakery’s signature English muffins and salted rosemary twists, for years. More recently, Proof has enhanced its retail presence, adding newer locations in downtown Phoenix and downtown Tempe to augment its longstanding presence on Main Street in downtown Mesa, The result is retail bakeries and small cafes conveniently situated in or near the historic urban centers of each of the three light rail cities.
The oldest of Proof’s stores, as well as its primary production bakery, is located in Mesa halfway between Country Club / Main and Center/Main stations on the A Line. In downtown Phoenix, Proof has a retail cafe and shop on the ground floor of the ECO PHX apartment building, three blocks west of Roosevelt/Central station on the B Line. In Tempe, Proof is found four blocks south of Mill Avenue / Third Street station on the A Line and directly along the route of the Tempe Streetcar. Bike racks are found within a block of all of Proof’s three urban locations.
These sites all serve two purposes. First, they’re retail storefronts offering the full range of the bakery’s output every day, not just once a week at farmers markets. The items available for purchase typically include the bakery’s classic sourdough bread and its khorasan variant. The latter has a slightly darker color and nuttier taste than typical sourdough. Other loaves may feature fruits and nuts or a basic sliced sandwich bread. Other baked goods for sale usually include classic baguettes and some viennoisserie such as croissants and pain au chocolat.
While it would be a stretch to think of any of Proof’s sites as a restaurant, they do serve a secondary role as cafes where one can enjoy a pastry, warmed if desired, with a cup of coffee or an espresso drink from Press. There are also a few bottled beverages, but no tea or alcohol. For something approaching a meal, it’s possible to have a savory ham and cheese croissant or piece of pizza. Proof’s pizza is made in small rectangular pies, guaranteeing an edge or corner piece every time. That’s welcome because Proof’s crust is the main attraction with this pizza.
Crisp along the edges, the sourdough is airy on its interior and provides a gentle taste to go with the tangy Bianco DiNapoli tomato sauce on top. It’s offered in three versions: margherita, pepperoni, and genevose, the last with pesto and some vegetables instead of the red sauce. A lunch special of a slice of any pizza is available with a drink and cookie for a reduced price. Given Proof’s modest origins as a home-based business, it is impressive how the bakery has grown under its current ownership, rising to impressive heights after a decade of fermentation.
301 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix AZ 85003
699 S. Mill Ave., Tempe AZ 85281
125 W. Main St., Mesa AZ 85201
https://www.proofbread.com
PHX Rail Food 