par-baked baguettes in Chicago?

is there any grocery store or bakery that sells par-baked baguettes? (a grocery store would be more ideal for me personally, though I realize a bakery would probably have a potentially better product so open to both.). or other types of bread possibly...

my friends in NY always get them from fresh direct and they're the best thing since sliced bread!!

... i can't seem to find anything too useful here in chicago. i think peapod might but i was hoping for a real store and i think they are the semi-lame cuisine de france brand from peapod (which i could deal with i guess... but I'm not going to order from Peapod just for them)

i know Bennison's (evanston) delivers par-baked product to some of the outlets that sell their baguettes, but they're in evanston and i don't know if they do this for the general public...

whole foods sells par-baked Ciabatta rolls and biscuits...but they're dinner roll size, not the full size Ciabatta you see at most places. (they're pretty good though, just too small for a sandwich)

do any local bakeries do this, or any grocery stores?

Your best bet is probably Jewel. They carry La Brea bakery baguettes, which I'm 99% sure arrives in their stores par-baked.
Maybe you can even talk them into selling half-baked loaves for a discount.

Red Hen delivers par-baked baguettes to some restaurants. You might be able to special-order some from them.

dddane wrote:i know Bennison's (evanston) delivers par-baked product to some of the outlets that sell their baguettes, but they're in evanston and i don't know if they do this for the general public...

I've been told by Pastoral in the Loop that the Pastoral in Lakeview sells par-baked Bennison's baguettes. You might want to give them a call.

Pastoral (Lakeview)
2945 N. Broadway
Chicago IL
773-472-4781

Edit: I just called Pastoral in Lakeview because this was something I wanted to know for my own information. Yes, they do in fact sell par-baked Bennison's baguettes to the public. (I think we have a winner! DingDingDing!)

I get par-baked baguettes at Whole Foods on Belmont and Ashland. Just ask at the bakery dept.

Also, Trader Joe's on Lincoln has par-baked ficelle (thin baguettes) that you bake the rest of the way at home.

danke :]

so it seems maybe grocery stores would have them if you just ask...

did pastoral give you a price?

i'm fairly close to there, close enough that i'd make a special trip even i wasn't getting groceries...