Pullman loaf

The pullman loaf, sometimes called the "sandwich loaf" or "pan bread", is a type of bread made with white flour and baked in a long, narrow, lidded pan. The French term for this style of loaf is pain de mie, or, less commonly, Pain Anglais. In the United States, many popular mass-produced sliced breads are actually pullman loaves; the slice of such breads is frequently square, with four straight crusts.

The name "Pullman" was derived from its use in the compact kitchens of the Pullman railway cars. Although the Pullman Company is credited with inventing the lidded baking pans used to create the square loaves, square tin pans existed long before the railroad company. European breadmakers began using the pans in the early 18th century to minimize crust. However, the loaves were selected by Pullman for use on his trains. Three Pullman loaves occupied the same space as two standard round-topped loaves, thus maximizing the use of space in the small Pullman kitchen.